


A Heavier Burden in My Heart

by vampnira92



Category: Vampire Knight
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Aristocrats - Freeform, Betrayal, Blood Drinking, Bloodlust, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood Trauma, Denial of Feelings, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Forbidden Acts, Forbidden Love, Human/Vampire Relationship, Interspecies Romance, Love Confessions, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Orphans, POV Female Character, POV Original Character, Purebloods, Selfless to the Point of Selfishness, Sibling Betrayal, Siblings, Vampire Hunters, Vampires, Weapons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2018-03-25 16:08:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 28
Words: 51,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3816616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampnira92/pseuds/vampnira92
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yua is the orphaned daughter of a prestigious hunter clan and she has been taken up by Headmaster Cross. Like Zero, she struggles with her past and present. Will her past force her to kill the only one she loves or will she stick to her pacifist ways to keep him by her side?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. --Nira

“Yua-chan, will you come help me?!” Yuki yelled, trying to ward off the screaming girls of the day class as they tried to catch glimpses of the night class students.

“Sorry, Yuki-chan! Kinda busy!” I called back, warding off another group.

The doors of the Moon dormitory opened and the screams got louder and the pushing and shoving got rougher as the beautiful students of the night class emerged. I watched them walk by with a smile on my face, wishing for them all to enjoy their classes and some smiled back while others glared at me. Not only were the night class students beautiful, they were considered to be geniuses. But they had a dark secret; every single one of them was a vampire. It was my job as one of the three Disciplinary Committee members to protect that secret. Our third member, Zero, was nowhere to be found… as usual.

When I looked over at Yuki to see how she was doing, I saw her standing in front of Kaname with Zero standing next to her, gripping Kaname’s wrist and glaring at him. Kaname was the president of the night class and had the air of royalty and Zero hated him more than any of the other vampires of the night class. Yuki was in love with Kaname and I was in love with Zero, but neither of us ever said anything about it. It was a known secret between us as sisters. I ran over to the three of them to try to keep the peace and smiled nervously at Kaname, apologizing for Zero’s rudeness before I glared at Zero.

“You’re late, Zero-kun!” I scolded, but he ignored me and yelled at the girls of the day class to go back to their dorms, glaring, and they all ran away screaming, thus ending our work for the moment.

“Take care, Yuki, Yua…” Kaname chuckled, walking to class.

As I dragged Zero to the headmaster’s office, followed by Yuki, I was mad at Zero for being late and rude to everyone (though he was always like that), but I was glad that he was there none the less. Zero, Yuki and Headmaster were talking, but I was staring out the window absentmindedly, not paying any attention to them. Eventually I got bored and decided to go on patrol around the Sun dormitory where the day class slept. It was a while later when I heard a scream near the Moon dormitory and ran to the source of it. I saw Aido Hanabusa and Kain Akatsuki (two night class students and cousins), and two unconscious day class girls on the ground, and Aido was about to bite Yuki’s wrist. Before I could do anything to stop him, Zero was pointing _Bloody Rose_ at Aido’s head. I sighed and pushed Zero’s hand up just as he was pulling the trigger so he shot the gun into the air and then I turned to the blonde-haired blue-eyed model, Aido with a glare and snatched Yuki back from him.

“Aido, if you ever touch Yuki again, I’ll take it as a personal threat and punish you myself,” I spat venomously. “… but for now, I leave him to you, Kaname.”

“Yua-chan, I’m fine! It was only a little bite, see?!” Yuki stated, but I ignored her.

“I take it that I shall leave the rest up to you?” Kaname asked, hinting to the unconscious day class girls.

“Leave it to me,” I smiled.

“Very well… Good night.”

I untied my necktie and looked at Yuki with a look that said “that was stupid, and you know it,” so she blushed as she held her hand out for me to tie it up. Zero and I carried the day class girls to the infirmary and Headmaster cleaned their memories of what had happened, whatever it had been. Zero had had hate in his eyes when he’d pulled the trigger, just like when he’d first come to be in Headmaster Cross’s care, and I felt sorry for him. I wanted to comfort him again, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t in the right position to comfort him.

I decided to take a bath and while I was submerged up to my nose, I was thinking about Zero and how the headmaster always had a way of saying or doing things that deepened or worsened Zero’s emotional wounds and how I hated to see Zero so upset. But I agreed with Headmaster. It was a never-ending struggle of mine. Did I love Zero more than I wanted vampires and humans to coexist? Or would I rather sacrifice my love for Zero to be a pacifist?

As I was blow-drying my hair when I’d gotten out, still thinking, Zero stormed in and took his shirt off, getting ready to take a bath, so I blushed and turned the light off so I couldn’t see.

“Yua… why did you turn the light off?” Zero asked, not amused.

“Don’t do that. I’ll be out in a minute so keep your clothes on until then. It’s embarrassing...” I mumbled.

“Embarrassing?” he muttered.

“Can I turn the light back on now? You’re not taking anything else off?”

“It was just my shirt. What are you thinking, Yua?”

“Shut up, pervert! You’re the one who was taking your clothes off in front of a girl!” I protested, throwing a brush at him and starting out the door.

“Hey!”

I finished blow drying my hair and gathered all of my toiletries, but I paused, having a thought: “Hey, Zero-kun?”

“What?” he growled.

“Try not to take what the headmaster says about the night class personally. He’s not trying to hurt you… ‘kay?” I smiled faintly and left.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. --Nira

It was Valentine’s Day, the biggest day of the school year and the most dangerous for both the day and night classes. It was the day when all of the girls gave the boys that they liked chocolates to proclaim their love, and since the boys of the night class were so handsome they were the most popular.

Me being me, I wasn’t interested in any of the night class boys, so I was one of the best and most indifferent mediators for the entire event. Yeah, it was going to be hard to handle everything, but it was my duty as a guardian so I had to grit my teeth and bear it. I pushed my way to the front of the crowd to push them back from the doors of the Moon dormitory while Yuki tweeted away on her whistle and barked orders for everyone to go back to class.

One girl was so determined to give someone her chocolates that she tried climbing the wall. Unfortunately, she fell from the shoulders of her friend who had been trying to give her a boost over. It wouldn’t have been a nice landing at all if Zero hadn’t caught her. He was always late, but he got work done and it was always a relief to have him working with us. I sighed in relief and smiled before I got back to work ushering people away.

“Please don’t make this any harder than it has to be and go back to your classes! You’ll be able to give your chocolates to the night class at twilight when they come out to attend their own classes!” I pleaded, but everyone left grumbling and reluctant.

“Nice work, Yua-chan,” Yuki smiled.

I smiled back and the three of us reported to the headmaster’s office where he went on and on about how we should be extra careful so the night class’s secret didn’t get out and how the Valentine’s Day event was a way for the students to let off steam.

“Kiryuu… I want you to understand my philosophy. Maybe not now, but eventually…” Headmaster stated. My eyes traveled to Zero and my heart ached, knowing his stand on the problem and knowing what he was going to say.

“That’s impossible… unless my past disappears…” Zero responded as he glared off to the side.

“Because they’re beasts in human form who drink the blood from living humans?”

I wanted to stand up and confess to Zero about my past so he’d know that I could relate to him since he didn’t know yet. I wanted to tell him, but I knew it wasn’t the same for him as it had been for me, He’d been older and remembered his parents and what life with them had been like before the incident. I’ve never been able to discern if there’s bliss in ignorance or not, so the question of which is worse-- to have known or not known what life was like before a tragedy-- has also gone unanswered. It probably wouldn’t have been as easy for him to become a pacifist as it had for me, and for him to say that it was impossible wasn’t far from the truth of the matter.

To break the tension Yuki gave the headmaster and Zero Valentine’s Day presents which reminded me of my own presents. Every year I did something different. This year I made the headmaster a new blanket and I’d struggled on what to make for Zero, so I made him chocolates. I was just afraid to give them to him in person because of what it meant for a girl to give a boy chocolate on Valentine’s Day. Instead, I pretended that I didn’t have anything for him at all in hopes that I could give them to him later, dragging him and Yuki to class. I mentally slapped myself for being so afraid to seriously talk to Zero and tell him how I felt even though I’d been madly in love with him for years.

I hadn’t realized that I’d been literally dragging him along until he snatched his arm out of my grip and clenched his throat, but he played it off as if he’d had an itch. I knew that something was wrong but he didn’t want to tell me. The day went by slowly and at twilight, Yuki, Zero and I were put to work. Yuki explained the rules of the chocolate-giving rally while Zero and I pretty much just stood guard.

Yuki and Zero started yelling at each other about something, but I was too busy warding off the Shiki followers and preventing them from trampling him to death to pay much attention. When I finally got the chance to look, Zero was gone. I helped Yuki get everything under control and left the rest to her, apologizing and telling her that there was something that I had to do. I circled the school grounds in search of Zero but when I couldn’t find him, I gave up and left to take a bath and get ready to go on patrol. When I opened the bathroom door, Zero was sitting on the floor with a towel draped over his thin, bare shoulders and his hair dripping wet. He was staring at the tile floor distantly, his eyes angry and melancholy just like they’d been when he first came to the academy.

“Zero-kun, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I wanted to talk to you. Is something wrong?” I inquired, but he didn’t stir.

I gently took the towel from around his shoulders and used it to dry his hair before pulling his shirt over his shoulders. Still, I got no response — not even his eyes moving to look at me or acknowledge my presence— even when I’d finished. It was as if he’d become a doll. I stared at him for a moment before I stood up and pulled a small ball wrapped in red tissue paper and tied closed with a white ribbon from my pocket. I unwrapped it and gently tilted Zero’s head up with a smile on my face so he was looking at me.

“Say ‘aah,’” I demanded, holding the chocolate to his lips. “I was planning on keeping this one for myself and eating it later since I made so many, but you need it more than I do right now.”

His eyes lit up very slightly and his mouth opened to allow the chocolate past his lips, but he still didn’t say anything or express himself in any way. He was alive, at least, and not a doll. I just hoped he’d come to his senses and at least say something to me. He didn’t.

“I wanted to give the rest to you earlier but I was too embarrassed, so I left them on your bed. I hope you like them. I worked really hard to make them just right,” I smiled, attempting to rouse him again.

Still, he said nothing, but his head and eyes tilted and focused on the ground again so I sighed in defeat and went to start the bath water. On my way over to the tub, I stepped on something and when I looked down at what it was, I saw one of the blood tablets that the night class had developed to alleviate their thirst so they wouldn’t have to feed off of the day class students. It seemed odd and out of place in the headmaster’s bathroom, but I didn’t question it. It wasn’t until the next day that I realized that I should have.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. --Nira

I’d fallen asleep in my supplementary classes and had a flashback dream. I was twelve and Yuki was eleven. We’d been playing in our room when Headmaster called for us. When we’d walked out into the hallway there was a silver-haired boy around our age standing beside him. He looked empty and lifeless and was covered in blood and wearing a coat that was much too big for him. I instantly recognized him as Zero, the elder of the two Kiryuu twins.

“This is Zero. His parents were killed by a bad vampire and he was the only one who survived. We’ll be taking care of him, all right?” Headmaster Cross explained.

Yuki and I nodded, ogling the boy before us and Headmaster told us he’d be back later. He’d said that he’d needed to go somewhere and asked Yuki and I to make sure that Zero had a bath. When he left, I took the few steps closer to Zero and gently pulled him into my arms, stroking his hair. There were tears in my eyes, but I held back my sobs and just held him. We stayed like that for a while, neither of us saying anything. When I’d pulled myself back together, I led Zero to the bathroom by his hand and slowly cleaned him up with a wet washcloth. I was afraid that if I did anything too quickly or rough, he’d fall apart and I’d never see him again.

I was woken up by Zero’s voice calling for Yuki and me to wake up, finish class, and hurry to our Disciplinary Committee duties. I got done before Yuki did because she was the more likely of us to fall back asleep and often did. I woke her up again before I left to go patrolling without her and when I got outside, I saw the night class surrounding Zero. I sighed in exasperation and decided to interfere since Zero looked like he was ready to go on a vampire killing spree.

“Shouldn’t you all be in class? I wonder what Kaname would do if he knew that you’re all going against the headmaster’s pacifist ideals and everything that he’s trying to protect,” I smiled in an overly cheerful way.

A few of them glared at me, but I smiled anyway.

“Stay out of it, Yua,” Zero snapped.

“Yeah, Miss Akanetsuki,” one of them jeered. “I wouldn’t mind shutting you up for good, either.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way about me, but my legal last name is Cross and has been for many years. The headmaster was very kind for taking me in.”

“Whatever…” he scoffed. “Let’s go. She just killed it…”

I smiled and waved as they all left back to their rooms and when they were gone, I sighed, slouching forward. It was a lot of work keeping up my cheerful act whenever things got serious. It took a lot out of me, but I was troubled. It was common for Zero to threaten the night class students, but he never went as far as to actually provoke a fight and intend to follow through with it. I was afraid to ask why there had been such a sudden and dramatic change in his attitude, but I sucked it up and asked anyway. I didn’t get an answer, but I did get glared at as he told me to leave him alone and walked away from me.

It came as a shock to me. He’d never so blatantly rejected me like that before and I didn’t understand why he would all of a sudden. I’d always been by his side. I’d always been there to help and support him and all of a sudden he was acting like he hated me. I didn’t understand it, but it tore me apart. What if he really did hate me? Would he always hate me? Would he hate me so much that he’d avoid me for the rest of our lives?

I wouldn’t let it happen. Zero meant way too much to me to just let him get up and go like it was nothing. He couldn’t just walk out of my life so easily. It was selfish thinking, I know, but I was determined not to let him leave. I’d been by his side since day one and I had absolutely no intention of ever leaving his side. I chased after him, calling his name and when I found him, he was on the landing of the staircase panting and leaning against the window pane.

“Yua… I told you to leave me alone,” he growled, clenching his jaw.

“No. Not until you tell me what’s going on with you. You’re acting strange,” I demanded.

The next thing I knew, Zero was behind me and holding my head at an angle, exposing the side of my neck. His arm was wrapped tightly around my waist and his breath was warm against the skin he’d exposed. My heart rate skyrocketed but it was a strange combination of feelings that I couldn’t quite pinpoint names for. The only one that I was sure of was fear. When I felt fangs pierce through the flesh into my artery, I was stunned and couldn’t do anything but let it happen. If I fought, I’d end up hurting myself. Oddly enough, I didn’t really want to fight it, though. It wasn’t unpleasant, but my inner turmoil had gone from bad to worse. Zero was a vampire who hated vampires and he was drinking too much of my blood.

“Zero, stop!” I yelled, tearing myself away from him.

I leaned against the banister, panting and applying pressure to the wound in my neck, staring at Zero who was also panting. He was like everyone else in the night class— terrifyingly beautiful—but he was covered in my blood. Looking at him, though, I wasn’t afraid. His eyes looked tortured and apologetic and it dawned on me that he’d hated himself since his family was attacked, knowing what was going to happen to him and what he was going to become. Yuki stood at the top of the staircase, wide eyed. I hadn’t realized that she was there or noticed when she’d shown up. I hadn’t noticed Kaname glaring and watching in disapproval from the bottom of the staircase, either.

“Yua…” Zero rasped, his voice dripping with shame and self-hatred for what he’d just done. “I—”

“You have been reduced to a blood-thirsty beast, Zero Kiryuu,” Kaname spat, standing in front of me.

I’d only seen Kaname look that serious once before and it had terrified me. Seeing him like that again, I was afraid that he’d kill Zero and knowing how upset with his self that Zero was, I knew he wouldn’t fight back, either. I feebly pushed Kaname aside and stood between him and Zero with my arms spread out to my sides, looking at him with pleading eyes.

“Kaname, please… don’t…” I begged, but I’d moved too fast to get between them and I’d gotten dizzy.

I blacked out for a moment and I don’t know what happened in the time that I was out. When I came to again, Kaname was carrying me while Yuki was walking beside us. I lifted my head from Kaname’s chest and looked around. I saw that we were walking away from Zero and that his eyes were wide in horror with his hand partially covering his expression. I could still tell that he was beyond ashamed of himself.

“Zero… Zero, it’s not your fault, ‘kay? … It’s not your fault…” I croaked, a weak smile on my face and my eyes half-lidded and heavy.

Kaname and Yuki escorted me to the infirmary and shortly after, the headmaster arrived, as well. I lay there in one of the beds for a while not saying anything to anyone. Tears stung at my eyes and dripped down my cheeks so Yuki knelt beside me with a tissue in her hand and a worried smile on her face.

“Does it hurt?” she asked. I shook my head “no,” before resting my head on her shoulder.

“Why couldn’t I see it? All this time, and I couldn’t sense it… Why couldn’t I tell?”

“Kaname, shouldn’t you be in class? The night class is getting antsy from the scent of blood,” Headmaster stated.

Kaname nodded and left and Yuki, the headmaster, and I sat in silence again for another long while. Headmaster broke the silence by asking me if I was afraid of vampires and I glared at him with malicious intent.

“Sorry, sorry…” he smiled nervously. He sighed and continued, his face serious again, “I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell you the truth before. You both must be surprised… I’m really surprised that you couldn’t tell, Yua, with you being an Akanetsuki and all…”

“I stopped being an Akanetsuki as soon as you signed the adoption papers, Headmaster,” I retorted.

“Yes, but that was only a legal change. You’re still an Akanetsuki, even if it’s no longer your legal name. Anyway, as I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, the vampire who attacked Zero’s family four years ago was a pureblood.”

“A pureblood?” Yuki inquired.

“Vampires without a drop of human blood in them. They’re the only ones who can change humans into vampires and there aren’t very many of them in the world at all. They’re the elite of the elite vampires.” I explained.

“Exactly,” the headmaster smiled.

“Yua-chan, how do you know so much about vampires?”

“Yua is the last living member of a long line of vampire hunters second best to the Kiryuus, the Akanetsukis. When she was five, her parents were attacked and killed by a group of rogue vampires and Yua was the only one who escaped the ambush. If anyone can understand what Zero is going through, it’s Yua.”

I scoffed and stood up, leaving the room to wash up and go to bed. I didn’t understand what Zero was going through at all. His experiences with vampires and when and how he lost his family was different from my own entirely. There was no way I could relate or understand what was going on inside Zero’s head. When I’d finished bathing and got to my dorm, I stared up at the ceiling for a moment before closing my eyes. Images of Zero danced behind my eyelids and I curled up, trying to hold my feelings inside. I wanted to go to him. I wanted to hold him close and run my fingers through his silken hair, whisper how much I loved him and kiss him. I wanted to feel his body heat and the warmth of his breath against my neck again. I wanted to comfort him and confess everything, but I couldn’t do it. I was afraid. It would have to wait.

That night I dreamed of Zero.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. --Nira

I was sitting in class with Yuki and her friend Yori when I heard Yori whisper to Yuki that Zero wasn’t there. Yuki gave the explanation that he was sick so I stood up, grabbing my things and left, ignoring the worried looks from Yuki and the teacher yelling at me that I was being rude. I dropped my stuff off in my dorm and went to find Zero. I hadn’t seen him since the incident the night before.

I decided to check his room first and when I opened the door, I saw him sitting at the foot of his bed with his eyes closed and _Bloody Rose_ pointed to his temple. The safety was unlocked and I was more disturbed by how peaceful he looked than the fact that there was a loaded vampire hunting gun pointed to his head. The tears welled up in my eyes as I thought, “what if I hadn’t come to find him. Would he have done it?” I tackled him to the bed, pointing the gun away and pinning his hand down.

“Idiot! You idiot! What do you think you’re doing?!” I hollered, glaring at him.

“Nothing…” His face and voice were blank and emotionless.

“You’re such a liar, Zero! The safety was unlocked and everything!”

“Why are you here?”

My breath caught for a moment as I stared into his eyes and my face reddened in embarrassment. I hadn’t expected him to ask that so I didn’t really have an answer that wouldn’t spill everything that I thought and felt about him.

“I—… I—…” I stuttered.

The next thing I knew, Zero pushed me over onto the bed and I was the one being pinned down. My heart rate increased and when he gently touched the bandage on my neck where he’d bitten me, I let out something between a moan and a sigh, my blush deepening. He ripped the bandage off and softly ran his fingertips over the puncture wounds and I started fidgeting. It was so hard to remain calm with the object of my affections on top of me and so close.

“After what happened last night… after I sucked in your blood… After something like that, you can’t act like nothing has changed, so don’t interfere anymore. Stay out of it, Yua…” he demanded and walked out of the room, not looking back.

I was paralyzed for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts and emotions. When I’d finally calmed down, I grabbed _Bloody Rose_ and ran after him. I hadn’t fully recovered from losing so much blood, so everything was moving in a blur and my vision was foggy. I wouldn’t stop, though, even when I was running into things. I couldn’t let him go.

“Zero! Stop, or I’ll shoot!” I panted when I’d finally caught up to him close to the main gate of the school. I was leaning against a pillar and pointing the gun at him despite everything around me being blurry and unfocused.

“Stop it, Yua. You’ll hurt your shoulders,” he stated as he walked over to me. He grabbed onto the barrel of the gun and pointed it down. “Yua, let it go…”

“Are you talking about the gun or yourself?” I snapped. “I won’t let you go that easily, Zero.”

His eyes narrowed into a glare and he pointed the gun to his throat. “Do it. Pull the trigger and kill me right here, right now. I couldn’t stop myself from devouring you. I might kill the next person who I target as my prey. You’re afraid of me, aren’t you? Just get it over with. Put me out of my misery, Yua. It’s not a crime to kill a vampire.”

I glared back at him with tears streaming down my cheeks, refusing to pull the trigger. He released the gun, turned his back to me, and started walking away again. I dropped the gun and ran ahead of him. I faced him and threw my arms around him tightly, holding onto him for dear life before he had a chance to react, burying my face in his chest.

“Zero, you’re not alone. I know you’ve been in pain all these years. I’ve felt it since the beginning. I’m not afraid of you, and I’m not leaving you to suffer alone no matter how much you try to push me away. I’ll stop you if it gets to that point. If you want me to stop you, I will. It’ll be me to the very end… It’ll always be me…” I cried. “Just please… don’t leave me… Don’t run away from me. You have no idea how much you mean to me…”

He didn’t say anything so I slowly let him go, still clutching onto his shirt. He wouldn’t look me in the eye but I could see that he wasn’t going to leave anymore. I held onto his jacket sleeve and started walking with him to the headmaster’s office. Neither of us said anything. We didn’t have to. There was nothing to say. When we got to the headmaster’s office, Yuki was there and smiled nervously while Headmaster boasted a night class uniform for Zero.

Zero and I glared at him and Zero slapped him as hard as he could. I refrained myself from hitting him as well. We both turned to leave but Yuki held us back and scolded Headmaster for joking like that when he knew that it irritated both of us.

“Headmaster, I know that things can’t be the way they were before, but I won’t let him go to the night class. Ever,” Yuki demanded.

“That’s why I have a plan. Yua, give me your wrist,” Headmaster demanded, so I cautiously held my wrist out to him.

He put a bracelet on me and I instantly recognized the design of the charm as the same design tattooed on Zero’s neck. He then told Zero to cut his finger so Zero glared suspiciously at the headmaster as he did as he was told. When Zero’s finger was cut and bleeding, Headmaster grabbed Zero’s wrist and my arm and squeezed a drop of Zero’s blood onto the bracelet.

“H-Headmaster?” Yuki worried in shock and fear while Zero and I glared at him with malice.

“What did you just do?” we asked in tense unison.

“This is an ancient secret method used by vampire hunters to tame vampires. The tattoo and bracelet work as a pair in this spell,” Headmaster explained, exposing Zero’s tattoo and pulling my wrist to meet it. There was the sound of a raw electric current and a loud crack of thunder and in a flash, Zero was thrown backward and pinned to the ground with four things that looked like blackish purple swords.

“Zero! Are you okay?!” I panicked, kneeling beside him. My eyes shot to the headmaster, demanding an answer and promising a consequence if he didn’t provide me with one.

“He’s fine. He just can’t move. Yua, if Kiryuu tries to attack someone, press your bracelet to his tattoo to stop him. Kiryuu, for your protection and to keep things going as usual in this school, both the day class and the night class must not know that you’re a vampire, understood?” These are the terms for keeping you in the day class… I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this…”

“It’s… all right…” Zero sighed.

“One more thing. If you want to guzzle blood, feel free to drink mine,” Headmaster blushed, pulling his shirt down by the collar and turning his head to the side. “Please be gentle.”

Zero jumped up and punched him before grabbing my arm and telling me that we were leaving. I called for Yuki to hurry when Headmaster stopped Zero saying that he’d forgotten something important. Zero glanced at me so I smiled and pulled Yuki with me. When we were out of earshot of the office, I spoke up.

“Yuki-chan, will you ask Kaname to keep Zero’s secret? He’ll listen t you more than he’ll listen to me…” I asked meekly.

“We’ll go together,” she smiled, so I faintly smiled back.

“Thanks, Yuki-chan.”

After getting permission from the creepy gatekeeper to continue on to the Moon dormitory, Yuki and I opened the door to see Aido talking to two people. When he saw us, he perked up in surprise and Yuki tensed up.

“Yuki! Yua!” he called before ushering the two businessmen out the door. “Ugh. It’s bright. I’m sleepy. I’m grumpy. It’s all their fault,” he pouted, covering his eyes after closing the door and glanced at us.

“Sorry for coming over…” Yuki replied nervously.

“If it’s you, it’s okay. Why’d you come by? Everyone’s asleep… or maybe you came to have your blood drunk by me?” he smiled, wrapping his arms around our shoulders.

“Hands off, Hanabusa,” I glared. “We came to see Kaname.”

“All right, this way, then.”

“You’re going to show us the way? Just like that?”

“You two are the only ones that President Kuran is nice to, so everyone simply follows his lead… Yua… who made those wounds on your neck? In our classroom the night before last, we suddenly smelled blood. We were surprised. President Kuran told us to disregard it, so we stopped making a fuss…”

“He said that?” I asked, blushing. I sighed in relief and faintly smiled. “Oh…”

Aido glared at me and it was silent for a second until he spoke up. The candles had blown out and the stairs and banister that Aido was holding onto were covered in ice.

“This is really pissing me off… What are you to Kaname? Huh? Why does Kaname-sama care about the two of you so much?”

“How the hell should I know? I don’t know what goes on in his head,” I glared back. “Ever since he’d saved Yuki from a level E ten years ago, he’s been nice to me, even when I was being rude to him. I assumed that he was like every other vampire—the ones who killed for pleasure—and wanted to protect Yuki from him. Why don’t you ask him yourself, if you’re so jealous?”

“What? I didn’t know that… Then Yuki, you should offer Kaname-sama every drop of your blood in return for saving your life, and you, too, Yua, for sparing yours. Your blood belongs to Kaname-sama now, but those puncture wounds aren’t from him, are they, Yua?” he asked, freezing Yuki and me so we couldn’t get away. “… Don’t give your blood to anyone else anymore. Someday Kaname-sama’s lips will gently brush your neck… and his fangs will sink slowly into you… If you heard the sound of Kaname-sama taking in your blood… you’d be in ecstasy, Yuki…”

Yuki’s face deepened in color as she thought about it and Aido chuckled. “If you’re embarrassed, I’ll freeze you with my ice and take you to him.”

“That’s enough, Hanabusa!” I yelled, pointing my anti-vampire katana, _Natsuhiboshi_ at his neck. “I warned you before about touching Yuki. Move one step and I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

I was furious with Aido and both he and Yuki could see it clear as day. I meant every word that I said and I would have had no problem killing him if he harmed even a single hair on Yuki’s head. That’s when Kaname interfered and asked me to stop. He looked tired and agitated so I reluctantly sheathed _Natsuhiboshi_. Kaname then turned to Aido with a glare and slapped him with enough force to turn Aido’s head.

“Did I ask for this?” Kaname demanded in a calm voice.

“No… I acted on my own. I apologize, Kaname-sama,” Aido kneeled with his head down like a puppy.

“Leave now…” Kaname ordered, and when Aido had left, he turned to Yuki and me. “He said some unpleasant things. I’m sorry, Yuki… Yua.”

“Uh, yes! I mean no! I mean—!” Yuki blushed as she panicked.

“It’s all right. You be just the way you are, Yuki. You’re different from the night class students who wait on me…” Kaname said, cupping her face in his hand. “You’re a warm-hearted girl, Yuki. That’s more than enough… It’s getting late. Yua, thank you for protecting my dear girl. I know you won’t let anything or anyone hurt her. It’s time for you to go back to the day world, now…”

Just as Kaname had said my name, the door opened and Zero stood there waiting for Yuki and me. When Kaname finished speaking, I got a feeling in my gut that he was using me to protect Yuki from something or someone (though I wasn’t sure what that meant for me) and I ushered Yuki out the door toward Zero. I felt that Kaname was plotting something but I was afraid that the outcome would only leave him happy and wondered what would happen to me and the other players involved in said plot.

“Congratulations on Kuran calling you his ‘dear girl,’ Yuki…” Zero stated bluntly.

“It’s not what you think… I’m like a stray dog or cat to Kaname. It’s obvious that I don’t suit him. I—… I long for him, but I understand… There’s a line that vampires and humans can’t cross…” Yuki said and Zero and I looked in random directions, avoiding each other’s gaze. When she realized how quiet it got, she looked back at us apologetically. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean that—!”

“It’s fine, Yuki. You’re right…” I said and sighed. I stopped walking and faced Zero with a somber expression. “When you lose the human part of yourself, Zero, I swear to you that it’ll be me to kill you.”

Zero’s eyes widened in shock but he quickly pulled himself together and let out a dry chuckle. “I wouldn’t want it any other way…” he responded, and walked past me.

I faintly smiled and walked behind him with Yuki, thinking that she and I were kind of in the same boat with us being human and the guys of our dreams being vampires. I was looking forward to seeing how everything would work out in the end.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. --Nira

Yuki, Zero, and I were out in town running errands for the headmaster and he was cooking dinner for us that evening. Yuki had the list and Zero and I were pretty much there to be the pack mules. When we passed by a clothing booth I saw a jacket and stopped to look at it. I thought about buying it for Zero but decided against it and caught up to them to continue shopping. When we were finally done, Yuki dragged us to a café for something to eat, but Zero and I didn’t eat anything. Zero wanted ramen and I wanted yakisoba. Instead, I stared out the window and passively watched the people who went by.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t ask you what you wanted to eat. I just love the parfaits here and I come here with Yori for them all the time,” Yuki blushed with the spoon in her mouth.

“Yuki-chan, are you really that afraid of leaving the school grounds alone?” I asked, looking at her from the corner of my eye.

Just as she was about to answer, a cute waitress walked over and asked Zero if he was a night class student and if he’d say “hi” to Aido for her since he was a frequent customer. Zero stood up and left, saying that he’d be waiting outside for us. When Yuki had finished her parfait, we left the café and went to meet up with Zero, but he wasn’t outside like he said he’d be. He’d also dropped one of the packages that we’d picked up for the headmaster and I sighed.

“Yuki-chan, let’s split up to find Zero. He couldn’t have gotten too far,” I suggested and she nodded.

It seemed like we were looking for him forever so I went to find Yuki, instead once it started getting late. When I found her, she was face to face with a level E, staring death in the eye, too afraid to do anything. I cursed under my breath and ran to help her, but Zero jumped in. I couldn’t hear what he’d said to the level E or what the level E had said in return, but I could see that Zero was conflicted. He couldn’t bring himself to kill the vampire and just as I was about to do it, Shiki and Ichijo from the night class appeared out of nowhere and beat me to it by slashing him with a katana. The vampire disintegrated into a pile of dust and I ran over to Yuki.

“Yuki-chan, are you okay? Did that vampire hurt you?” I inquired, worried, looking her over for any injuries. There was a gash on her arm, but she didn’t seem fazed by it at all.

“Oh, look. It’s the entire Disciplinary Committee,” Ichijo smiled, sheathing his katana.

“You know you’re not supposed to leave school grounds without permission. Why did you kill that vampire?” Yuki asked sternly, ignoring my fretting.

“If you want answers, come to the Moon dormitory at midnight. Everything will be explained there,” he smiled, avoiding the question and waving as he and Shiki walked away.

I grumbled, not wanting to go, but Yuki being Yuki and with me being her sister and knowing her so well, I knew she wouldn’t let it go. After our dinner with the headmaster, Zero, Yuki and I went to the Moon dormitory, just like Ichijo had said. Aido and Kain were there to escort us but Zero and I were quick to draw our weapons, thinking it an ambush at first. They led us toward the garden and all of the vampires that we passed on the way there glared or stared at us.

The Moon dorm had its own atmosphere and it made me uncomfortable. It was very dark and sinister feeling, and everyone who had changed out of their uniforms seemed like completely different vampires all together. Goth and Lolita seemed to be the fashions of choice for them, and they were all calm and beautiful, but still terrifying, all at once. Most of them glared at us like they were ready to kill us on the spot and it set me on edge and made me irritable. When we reached a well lit area close to the building under what looked like an archway or balcony of sorts, Ichijo was smiling and holding a glass and standing in front of a very large cake.

“You made it! Welcome to my birthday party! Please, enjoy yourselves,” he smiled.

I sighed. Of all of the vampires in the night class, Ichijo was the most human and it was really weird. Yuki struck up conversation while Zero and I checked our surroundings and what everyone was doing, analyzing whether or not it was safe for us to be there. When Yuki finally got to the point and asked why Shiki and Ichijo had been in town and killed that vampire, Kaname walked in and intervened, letting himself into the conversation. There were muted conversations of surprise that Kaname was even attending the party from everyone around.

“They were there on my orders,” Kaname said.

“Your orders?” Yuki inquired, so Kaname motioned for us to follow him.

He sat on a red velvet couch and patted the spot next to him for Yuki. She looked at Zero and me and declined his offer until he called her name sternly. When she was sitting down, Kaname wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, causing her to blush madly.

“Yuki, you have a lot to learn about vampires….” he sighed. “In our society, we are separated by classes At the top of the pyramid are purebloods, the next level is aristocrats, and then there are common vampires, and the lowest and most mistreated class is former humans. There is a class that is below even former humans, Level E, or Level End. The vampire you saw today was a level E.”

“What does that mean? How does a vampire become a level E?” Yuki questioned.

“Level E vampires are former humans who guzzle the blood of humans for the joy and rush of it. They’ve given in completely to their vampire instincts and do whatever it takes to have fresh blood…” I explained, just as disgusted by them as the vampires.

“Precisely. They are a nuisance and cause problems for the rest of us so they must be taken care of. There had been reports that a level E had escaped their master and would appear in town soon, so I sent Ichijo and Shiki to take care of it,” Kaname continued. “I’m sorry, Yuki. I wasn’t expecting you to be there when it took place. You were hurt, weren’t you? I’ll take away your pain.”

Kaname unwrapped Yuki’s arm, exposing the cut and licked it. I noticed Zero’s expression sour and I shot him a worried glance, but nobody took notice of it. Kaname then turned his attention to Zero and looked at him with scorn. “You were there as well and yet you failed to kill it yourself. Why is that? Perhaps you sympathized with it…”

Zero drew _Bloody Rose,_ pointing it at Kaname’s head. Kaname’s bodyguard, Seiren was at Zero’s throat and I was at hers with _Natsuhiboshi_ while all the other vampires were snarling at Zero and me. They were ready to kill us before we could even take another breath.

“Seiren, it’s fine. I said some disrespectful things…” Kaname said. “I apologize, Kiryuu.”

Seiren backed off so I sheathed _Natsuhiboshi_ and Zero put _Bloody Rose_ back in its holder. Ichijo then interrupted to try to lighten the mood since it was his birthday party and suggested that everyone have a piece of cake. When he offered the knife to Shiki to cut it, Shiki cut Ichijo’s finger and cleaned the blood off by licking it. Zero left in a hurry so I looked at Yuki as if telling her to keep her guard up and be careful, so she nodded and I chased after Zero. As long as she was with Kaname, I knew she’d be safe.

When I reached Zero, he was by the pool and I could see blood tablets on the ground around him. He was hunched over and retching and when he looked up at me, his face was contorted in pain and shame. His eyes widened and he threw up, so I ran over to him.

“Yua… Ever since that night, my body has been rejecting the blood tablets,” he panted, clutching my arms and pulling me closer.

His head was lowered as he tried to resist the urge to bite me. I closed my eyes and stroked his hair as the tears forced themselves from my eyes. I wanted him to snap out of it and come back to me. I wanted my Zero back, so I purposefully fell backward into the pool, pulling him with me. When I opened my eyes underwater, Zero’s expression changed from shock to shame again as he saw me staring at him.

We both resurfaced and I held Zero’s face in both of my hands. He averted his eyes and wouldn’t look at me but I wouldn’t let him go. There was a loud gunshot as if it was shot from close range and I screamed, jumping into Zero’s chest and hiding my face. When I looked up, Zero was bleeding from his arm and looking behind him, astonished.

“I never thought I’d have to kill my own apprentice with this gun,” a man with black hair and an eye patch over his scarred right eye glared at Zero.

“Master?” Zero breathed.

“It barely hit you but I bet it hurt like hell. That bullet had an anti-vampire spell put on it. This next shot won’t miss,” the man said as he pointed the barrel of the gun in Zero’s face.

I stood between them, glaring at the man and he lowered the gun in agitated surprise. “So you’re one of that retired fool’s daughters? You’re as much of a fool as he is. Zero was about to attack you and you still defend him?”

“I won’t let you kill him,” I snapped. “He’s not a level E so you have no right or authority to kill him, Toga Yagari.”

“Yua, it’s fine,” Zero said apathetically.

“Stop this right now! How long are you going to leave a poor girl in cold water?!” Headmaster yelled. “Put that thing away, Yagari! Come to Daddy, sweetheart,” he cooed, offering his hands to help me out of the pool. I ignored him and got out on my own, glaring daggers at Yagari. He glared back as if challenging me.

“I don’t care who you are to Zero or that you’re the leading vampire hunter right now, Yagari. There’s no way I’m going to let you break my promise to Zero. When Zero falls to level E, it’s going to be me to kill him, not you, got it?” I spat.

“Yua…” Headmaster sighed.

“if you can actually do it…” Yagari glared back.

“Yua-chan! Zero!” Yuki yelled, running over. “What’s going on? Are you all right?”

“Everything’s fine, Yuki-chan… I’ll tell you later…”

“Yuki, Yua, you two go on ahead,” Headmaster said.

When I went to protest, he looked at me sternly so I turned on my heel and stomped away in a huff.

I didn’t see Zero for the rest of the night or the next day, so when Yagari came to be the Ethics teacher for the night class, I demanded that he tell me where Zero was. He refused, so I waited for him to finish his lessons coming up with the lie that I was worried that the vampires would tear him to shreds. In reality, I didn’t care. I hated him for threatening Zero’s life and didn’t care what happened to him as long as Zero was safe.

“You don’t give up, do you? …If you still wanna see him, he’s in the headmaster’s guest room… You better hurry, girl,” Yagari said, taunting me, so I glared at him and ran.

When I got to the guest room I stopped outside to catch my breath and slow my heart rate down. When I’d calmed down, I knocked on the door and Zero answered. As soon as he saw that it was me, he went to close the door. I pushed all my weight against the door to keep it open, glaring at him.

“You said you wouldn’t run away from me, Zero… I’m here, so let me in,” I demanded and there was a pause before he sighed and stepped aside to let me in.

“Why are you here?” he asked.

“I told you before that I’m not going to let you suffer alone. Your body rejects the blood tablets, so let’s pick up where we left off last night.” I loosened my bow and unbuttoned my collar, taking a step closer to him, completely unafraid.

“No… I can’t do it. I’ll never be able to forgive myself…” he panted, his eyes shining red with his blood lust.

“I know…”

I took another step closer to him, gently cupping his face in my palm and kissed his cheek, deliberately exposing my neck to him. His breath quickened and became shallow and he pulled me closer, holding the back of my head. His warm breath turned to my neck and his tongue traced from my shoulder to my jaw line. I let out an involuntary shudder and breath and my body tensed and got really warm. I felt my pulse quicken in excitement and Zero’s fangs sank deep into my neck. Hearing him swallowing my blood in gulps gave me an odd sense of euphoria, but I knew that he was dying inside because of it.

“I’m sorry, Zero…” I whispered.

When I started getting dizzy and pulled away, Zero averted his eyes as he wiped his mouth, but my eyes wouldn’t leave him. It was silent between us and as I was about to turn to leave, he spoke up.

“Why? …Why are you doing this?” he asked, still refusing to look at me.

“Would you believe me if I told you the truth? Would you actually want to hear the answer?” I blushed, looking at the ground.

He didn’t answer, so after a short pause, I turned his head so we were face to face, closed my eyes, and pressed my lips to his gently. His whole body tensed up and I pulled away, taking a step back again.

“I’m sorry… I’m being selfish. Please forgive me, Zero… I’m causing you so much pain…” I strained, forcing a smile as tears pooled in my eyes.

“I don’t understand.”

“Yuki’s right… There’s a line that we can’t cross… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” My throat burned as I suppressed the sobs that were trying to escape, forming a lump in my throat. “I should have told you a long, long time ago… You mean the world to me, Zero…”

I quickly kissed his cheek and left so Zero could think and let everything I’d said soak in, and so I could wash away the evidence that we’d committed a forbidden act. While I was in the shower, I cried, thinking about how much pain Zero was in and how I was only making it worse. What else could I do? I was so desperate to keep him near me…


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. --Nira

Zero didn’t show up to class the next day and my gut feeling was telling me that he wasn’t safe, especially not with Yagari around. I couldn’t focus on anything that the teacher was talking about, so I ended up leaving in the middle of class. I had to find him. My sanity and the ability to keep my nerves in check depended on it. I tried walking but my urgency grew with each wasted moment, so by the time I actually found him at the end of a hall, I was out of breath from running and Yagari was pointing his gun at Zero’s forehead.

Zero looked complacent and I called his name. I heard two gunshots fired in rapid succession and I flinched, snapping my eyes shut and clutching my head. My eyes stayed shut. I was too afraid to look. It was over. Zero was gone and I was never going to see him again, and Yagari had been the one to kill him. He hadn’t even fallen to level E yet and that bastard had taken my promise away from me.

“Watching you right now made me want to kill you for real… I have no intention of saving a kid who only wants to take the easy way out. Struggle until you can’t struggle anymore… Don’t run away, Zero…” Yagari said, and my eyes shot open. “Little girl… The next time he goes berserk, you stop him. You’ll get hurt if you treat him gently. He won’t stop unless you put a bullet in him…”

“I told you before—” I glared, but he cut me off.

“Yeah, yeah… If you can’t do it, it will be me. I promise you that… By the way, Zero… That woman… apparently she’s still alive…”

After that, Yagari left and Zero was sitting on the floor looking up at me. My eyes stung and my throat burned as I stared back at him and it was quiet for a while between us.

“I really thought you’d died…” I croaked.

“Yua…” he sighed, standing up.

I was so overwhelmed. He was alive. Yagari hadn’t killed him, but Zero had been so ready to die. I tackled him back to the ground, throwing my arms around him in a desperate embrace, burying my face into his chest and clenching onto the back of his shirt. He tensed up at first but he sighed and relaxed as he tenderly stroked my hair.

“I’m sorry… I won’t run away anymore, so don’t cry.”

I nodded, but I couldn’t help that the tears kept coming. He wasn’t going to reject me anymore. The next day Yuki and I fell asleep in class again and Zero showed up late, so we all got stuck with supplementary classes until we finished all of the work that we’d missed in class. Unfortunately, it ended up taking us until sunset when the night class was leaving their dorm to go to class. Zero had had to kick down the door because the teacher had gone insane and padlocked it since he was tired of us not paying attention in class, but we’d ended up making it just in time to rescue the night class from their barrage of day class fans. 

Yuki blushed and smiled when Kaname thanked her and I knew instantly that something had happened between them. I just wasn’t going to ask because it wasn’t any of my business. However, Kaname did glance at Zero and me and I got a gut feeling that I was in trouble for some reason, so I turned away from him. It was weird because I didn’t know what I’d done or if I’d done anything wrong at all. The next night, Headmaster asked us (the Disciplinary Committee) to escort a very powerful vampire by the name of Asato Ichijo to his office, but as we were leaving, Takuma Ichijo stopped Yuki and asked if something had happened between her and Kaname.

“No. Why are you asking me?” she smiled.

“Well… Kaname doesn’t tell me the important things, so I thought you might know something, Yuki,” Takuma explained.

“I didn’t even know Kaname was a pureblood. I really don’t know anything.”

“But you used to be very close. You… know a side of Kaname that we’ve never seen…”

Just as he’d said that, I remembered when Yuki had first come to live with the headmaster and me. I was thinking about it the whole time the three of us were in the shooting range. I preferred to use blades, but I’d practiced with guns, too, just in case. When Zero got irritated with Yuki’s staring, he asked about it. She explained that she was worried about us and she felt that she should look after us, and it made me chuckle internally since she was the youngest of the three of us.

“Shouldn’t you be watching Kaname Kuran? He is your savior—your hero—so why don’t you bug him? I know that you like him,” Zero remarked rudely.

Yuki blushed and ran out of the shooting range so I glared at Zero and punched his arm.

“Why did you say that?! It’s not like she was in the way or anything! She wasn’t even talking! You can be so mean sometimes!”

“I didn’t even mean it in a bad way!” he defended.

“It didn’t sound that way,” I glowered back. “You better apologize to her.”

“Yeah, yeah…” he sighed. “Why are you so protective of her all of a sudden?”

“It’s not sudden… You’ve just been too preoccupied to notice,” I replied, reloading my gun and firing another shot into the target.

I was shooting, but I wasn’t seeing the target. I was lost in a flashback and didn’t even notice that I’d stopped shooting and set the gun down. In my flashback, I was six and Yuki was five. She’d come in with Kaname wearing blood stained white mittens, a dress, and a long coat with fur on the collar. I watched from the doorway, glaring at Kaname the whole time. I remembered that Yuki had had a curious stare as she played with her pudding, trying to figure out what it was. When Kaname tried to feed her, she noticed his fangs and poked one, screaming and backing away from him. I ran in and pulled Yuki to me, glaring at Kaname.

“Yua…” the headmaster sighed as he looked at me, seeing the hatred in my eyes, and apologized to Kaname. “Her parents were attacked and killed by vampires last year, so her emotional wounds are still relatively fresh…”

Kaname looked at Yuki and me sadly, said good-bye, and left. It was only in retrospect that I was able to put a name to the expression that he’d had. It was sympathy. When Kaname was gone, Headmaster smiled at us and named Yuki, Yuki meaning “tender princess” because Kaname had told him that girls are born princesses.

“Yuki… You’re my little sister, Yuki. I won’t let anyone hurt you, okay?” I cooed, hugging her and gently stroking her hair.

Sometime later, maybe a week, Yuki and I had just taken a bath and were getting dressed in our pajamas when Kaname rushed in. I was trying to help Yuki get dressed, wondering why she couldn’t do it herself, but it was more entertaining to watch her try to figure it out. As soon as she saw Kaname, she hid under the bath towel and I was confused, so I peeked under the towel.

“Yuki? What’s wrong?” I asked.

I jumped, hearing Kaname’s boisterous laughter behind me and hid under the towel with Yuki, making him laugh harder. We both peeked at him from under the towel, me blushing and glaring at him in embarrassment, and I stuck my tongue out at him when he looked at us.

“I’m sorry for scaring you. I’ll leave you be,” he smiled and started walking away.

Before he got to the door, Yuki ran over and tugged on his jacket, so he looked down at her in surprise. She smiled as she said his name and we were all in shock. It was the first time we’d heard her talk. Over the years, Kaname came over to visit Yuki, and every time he came over I watched them, always alert and ready to snatch Yuki away from him if I had to, but I never did. He was always nice to her, and they were always smiling together. She always anxiously awaited his visits and eventually, I started to join them rather than watch from the sidelines. We all grew very close and I began to understand Headmaster’s pacifism because of Kaname’s interactions with Yuki and me. I trusted him. He was my friend, and as long as Yuki was happy, I was happy.

I was snapped back to the present when Zero called my name and asked me if I was all right. I faintly smiled and nodded before I took apart the gun and put it neatly back into its case to put it back on the shelf. I gave the excuse that I needed to get some sleep before our disciplinary duties began and left to find a shady tree to take a nap under. When I found one near the stable, I gave in to the darkness of sleep.

My dream was another flashback, but this time I was twelve and Yuki was eleven. That’s when Zero had been taken in by the headmaster after the incident. We were all eating dinner and Kaname had come over in the middle of it. As soon as Zero saw him and Yuki run up and hug him, he grabbed the knife from beside his plate and stabbed Kaname. His eyes were dark with absolute loathing, so I ran over and ushered him away. I didn’t say anything to Zero. I didn’t want or feel the need to tell him that Kaname was my friends or that my family had been killed by vampires, too. I just sat with him in silence and patted his head until he fell asleep.

After one of Kaname’s visits, Zero had gone to take a bath but he was gone for a really long time. When I knocked on the bathroom door to check on him and didn’t get an answer, I assumed that he’d finished his bath and gone to bed, so I opened the door and was surprised to see Zero sitting on the floor. He was propped against the bathtub and digging his nails into the left side of his neck.

“Zero… what are you doing?” I asked, worried, and his blank eyes met mine.

“It feels yucky… I can still feel that woman here…”

I watched in horror as he scratched and tore away at the skin on his neck until I couldn’t stand to watch anymore. I ripped his arm away from his neck, knowing who he was talking about—the vampire woman who had mercilessly attacked his family. The tears formed in my eyes as I gripped his arm with one hand, preventing him from scratching again, and applying pressure to his neck to slow the bleeding with the other.

“It’s okay… You’re all right now… I’ll always be with you… always… So, please don’t do that ever again… You’ll be all right…” I cried.

Time passed and when the vampires and Kaname moved into the Moon dorm, Yuki had gone to see him but she was taking way too long. The headmaster didn’t even have to tell us to go get her. I was the first one up from the table and out the door, running toward the Moon dorm with _Natsuhiboshi_ at my hip just in case, and Zero following behind me. When we got outside the dorm, we saw that Yuki had fallen and scraped her hand and looked terrified.

“Did Kaname Kuran do something to hurt you?” Zero asked, but Yuki shook her head “no.”

“This is ridiculous. I can smell blood everywhere. Are they taunting us?” a vampire in the window asked, so I pulled Yuki to me and glared murderously at them.

“Let’s get out of here. I don’t like the way they’re looking at us,” I spat, walking away and pulling Yuki with me.

She was trembling in fear so I gripped her hand tighter and walked faster, glaring at the building behind us. Whenever Yuki was hurt because of vampires or I saw the hungry look in their eyes, my hatred for vampires would return. If Yuki was involved and something bad happened to her, no matter how minor, I would never forgive them. Ever.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. --Nira

I didn’t see Zero again that night because I’d overslept, but when I woke up the next morning, I was in the headmaster’s guest room. I guessed that someone had carried me there, but I didn’t know who. I went to my dorm to get a change of clothes and ran into the headmaster along the way.

“Oh, good morning, Yua,” he smiled. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah,” I yawned.

“Next time, don’t fall asleep outside, okay? It’s dangerous. If Zero hadn’t brought you to me, who knows what could’ve happened?”

“Zero did?” I blushed, though I’d suspected as much.

“That’s right. Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” I smiled.

“Yua, the Hunters’ Society might come looking for you next. They’ve already given Zero a directive,” he said before leaving, and I sighed.

When I was walking to class, I ran into Yuki and Zero and Yuki smiled and waved. I smiled and waved back, and when I looked at Zero, my smile faded into a weak one as my face reddened into a blush.

“Thanks for bringing me to the headmaster last night, Zero. I hadn’t realized how tired I was.”

“Don’t do it again…” he said, looking away with his arms folded.

Classes went by slowly and after lunch, Zero ditched his afternoon classes to go take care of his directive, but unfortunately, with Yuki being nosey, she went after him. I sighed and followed to keep her out of Zero’s way and to protect her.

As she trailed after Zero to an abandoned building, I followed closely behind. She was talking to Senri Shiki and Rima Toya, not paying attention to her surroundings and didn’t see the level E watching them from a hole in the wall of the building beside them.  When the level E jumped down, I jumped between him and Yuki, telling her to back up as I started backing up toward her. Shiki stepped in, biting his finger and using his blood to attack the level E, but it got away.

Yuki ran after it, so I growled and chased her. When the level E reached up from a hole in the ground to grab her foot, I tackled her out of the way, being pulled into the hole by the vampire in her place. I glared at him and kicked him in the face before I tried to pull myself back up.

“You’re lucky I don’t kill you myself!” I spat, but Zero had jumped in and pinned tha vampire down, holding _Bloody Rose_ to his head.

“Don’t you dare touch her with your filthy hands. This is the end. Your desire for blood has turned you into a serial killer. I will purge you of your sin.”

“Oh dear… I’ve been caught… but now I won’t have to kill anymore, right?” the level E asked.

The look on Zero’s face was sympathetic as he pulled the trigger. I reached a hand out to Zero to help him up with an apologetic smile. Shiki and Toya said they found a girl who was still alive and asked what they should do with her.

“You saved two lives today, Zero, in killing him. Thank you, and it’s okay… You did the right thing,” I faintly smiled and kissed his cheek.

“What are you doing here?” he asked sternly.

“Ask Miss nosey over here. She was the one trailing you. I just came along to keep her out of trouble and out of your way,” I said, pointing to Yuki.

“Out of my way? So you knew?”

“Of course I knew. I know everything,” I winked with a smile before turning to Yuki with a glare. “You, missy, are in BIG trouble when we get home.”

“B-But—!” Yuki stuttered.

“No buts! Do you have any idea how hard it is to protect someone who looks for trouble?!”

“I’m sorry! I was worried!”

“Jeez,” I sighed. “What am I gonna do with you? You still have a lot of growing up to do, Yuki-chan.”

“What are you talking about? You’re only a year older than I am, Yua nee-chan,” she pouted.

“I’m still older,” I giggled, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. “Let’s go home. Headmaster will know what to do with the girl.”

As we were walking, my stomach growled and I blushed. “Hey, um… Toya-san? Shiki-kun? You wouldn’t happen to have any snacks, would you?” I chuckled nervously. “I swear I’ll pay you back.

“Strawberry pandas…” Rima said as she handed me a pack of candy coated chocolate stars, so I smiled, thanking her.

“Yua-chan, if you keep eating so much junk food, you’ll get fat,” Yuki said.

“For your information, I only eat one full meal a day and that’s dinner. I snack on stuff all day, and it’s usually something healthy. I can indulge every once in a while,” I said, sticking my tongue out at her. “But since you’re so jealous that I have candy and you don’t, I guess I can share,” I chuckled.

Yuki blushed and I grabbed her hand, pouring some of the candy into it. I giggled and popped a few into my own mouth, smiling and humming as I strutted along next to her.

“Why are you so happy all of a sudden?” Zero asked.

“You know, I have no idea… Maybe it’s because you were worried about me, or because you’re being nicer to me now,” I smiled and hugged his arm while he blushed and looked away.

“Or maybe it’s the candy,” Yuki giggled.

“Maybe that, too,” I chuckled.

I had no idea that my good mood was going to be completely ruined the next night.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. –Nira

The nigh class’s fan girls were more desperate to see that than usual, so I had to get mean when they were pushing too much. Just because Yuki and I were girls and got special treatment from the night class’s elite like Kaname, Ichijo, Aido, etcetera, everyone else was jealous of and hated us so they felt that with us being girls, too, it’d be easier for them to push us around. I’m not usually an angry or violent person unless it comes to Yuki’s, Zero’s or my safety, so since they wouldn’t stop pushing and stampeding toward the moon dormitory doors like a herd of buffalo, my “dark side” as I call it, came out.

“The next person to push either me or Yuki is gonna get it!” I snarled. “Is it too much to ask for just one peaceful night without your stupid fan girl antics?!  We’ve been nothing but nice and patient with all of you and night after night, this is what we get in return! I’ve had enough, so GET BACK TO YOUR DORMS!”

Everyone got quiet and stopped pushing. In fact, it was like time stood still for a moment because nobody was moving at all. I glared around again and flinched at everyone and they all started backing away slowly at first, and then turning around and running off in a full on sprint. I heard someone holler that I was scary when I was mad, just like Kiryuu and I sighed.

“That’s a first,” Aido commented as he walked by. “What’s gotten you all riled up today, Yua?”

“I haven’t been able to sleep since the night before last and I don’t feel the greatest,” I grumbled.

“Thank you for all of your hard work, anyway, Yua,” Kaname smiled.

“Yua-chan, why didn’t you tell me that you couldn’t sleep? I would have made you stay home and the entire day class wouldn’t hate you right now,” Yuki inquired.

“I don’t care if they hate me… and I didn’t tell you because I don’t really feel sick so there’s no need for me to stay in bed. I just have this really bad feeling that something bad is going to happen soon and I’m afraid that life in general is going to become extremely difficult because of it…” I explained and looked at Kaname as if accusing him of being the one behind it all.

“Well, let’s hope for the best,” he smiled and told everyone to hurry or they’d be late to class.

Yuki and Zero continued to patrol but Yuki scolded me to go talk to the headmaster and ask for the day off so I could sleep. When I got there, Headmaster smiled as he welcomed me into his office.

“Perfect timing, Yua. You’re just the one I wanted to see.”

“What for?”

“To show a new transfer student around. She was supposed to enroll earlier but she has been recuperating from an illness in a mountain villa,” he said and there was a knock at the door.

When he answered it, a cute girl with long blonde hair in a night class uniform walked in sheepishly. I looked at Headmaster with unease but he smiled and introduced her as Maria Kurenai before introducing me as his first daughter and not noticing my discomfort. She was nice and cute and well behaved on the outside, but I instantly hated her. Something told me that she was bad news and my stomach knotted.

“I’m sorry. I would love to show you around, Maria, but you actually caught me at a bad time. I actually came here to ask Headmaster Cross if I could take the night off. I haven’t been feeling well and I haven’t been able to get any sleep since the night before last. My sister, Yuki could show you around, though. I’m sure she’d love to meet you,” I said, forcing a welcoming smile onto my face despite my unease.

“The night before last? How are you still standing?” Headmaster asked, worried.

“I’m not sure, really… I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner. This wasn’t the best time, but it’s partially your fault, too, Headmaster.”

“Yes, well, I’ll get Yuki to show her around while you go get some rest or at least try.”

I bowed to him and smiled in false apology to Maria before taking my leave. Whatever Kaname was planning for Zero, Yuki, and me, it was already set in motion and there was nothing any of us could have done about it.

On my way to my dorm, I stopped at a window, seeing Zero leaning against a tree and staring up at the sky. Judging by his calm expression, I knew he hadn’t seen Maria yet and I knew when he did, it wasn’t going to be a very pleasant moment for him. Shortly after I’d had that realization, Yuki walked up to him and they started talking and the knot came back to my stomach, so I looked down to see Maria walking toward them. I glanced at Zero before averting my eyes to follow Maria’s movements like a hawk. When Zero pulled _Bloody Rose_ out and pointed it at her, I sighed, turning away and continuing to my dorm.

As long as Maria was there, Zero and I would never loosen up. All we could do was be Kaname’s marionettes while he pulled the strings from offstage.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. –Nira

“The ball?” Yuki asked Yori and I paused and blushed.

I’d completely forgotten about the ball. It happened only once a year and both the day and night classes attended. There would be music, dancing, gorgeous gowns, and declarations of love, but the class that scores the lowest in the exams has to work. I was more worried about Yuki’s grade than mine or Zero’s. She had studying issues and it showed in her test scores.

The other thing on my mind was what I’d wear and if I’d be able to muster up the courage to ask Zero to dance. I also wondered how he would react if I did ask. Just as I glanced up at Zero shyly, my thoughts were interrupted by the knot that happened whenever Maria was around. Sure enough, she was giving Ichijo a touch time as she wandered around campus while the day classes were still in session. Yuki was going to chase after them but Zero grabbed her arm, stopping her. She looked back in confusion and his expression was serious and almost pleading as he looked at her.

“Stay away from that transfer student. The vice president will take care of her,” he warned, so she agreed after a pause.

“Yuki!” Aido called and hugged her from behind. “Hello. This is the second time we’ve met during the day.”

“Hanabusa!” I hollered, glaring at him. “Hands off my sister!”

“Even Idol is here?! No! He’s hugging her!!” the Aido fans screamed in rage and jealousy, so I sighed.

“Yuki-chan, if I were you, I’d run as soon as I got the chance,” I said.

“She’s right. The jealous girls will go crazy and bully you, Yuki Cross,” Aido murmured before letting her go with a smile.

“May I have a word with you, Aido?” Zero asked and Aido agreed since he’d wanted to talk to Zero, too.

As they walked away, Zero warned Yuki and me to be careful around Maria. I smiled and let out a dry chuckle before I responded; “You don’t have to even think about worrying about it for me… She gives me a bad vibe.”

“Don’t fight, you two!” Yuki called after them.

“They won’t, but give me your books and run like your life depends on it. That may just be the case,” I chuckled, so she looked behind her nervously, threw her books to me, and ran from the envious Aido fan girls.

“I hope she’ll be okay…” Yori fretted.

“She’ll be fine. Yuki-chan is fast and smart. Will you bring these to your dorm with you so she can get them back later?” I smiled, offering her Yuki’s books.

She smiled as she took them, so I thanked her and went back to class. When class was over, I went to Headmaster’s office to study with Yuki, but I’d ended up being her math teacher until Zero showed up. I was relieved that he’d gotten there because I think that I’d confused her more. I understand math, but I’m really bad at explaining things. It was a burden lifted from my shoulders when Zero took over in my place so I could get back to my own studying. I kept glancing up at Zero to see that he was holding the left side of his neck just like that time when we were younger. When he caught me staring, he asked what was wrong.

“Does it hurt?” I asked.

“The wound that woman made is throbbing… Every night, I remember. Four years ago, she toyed with my brother and me in the blood bath. I was able to keep on living because—…”

“Hey… come back to us, Zero,” I smiled, grabbing his hand and preventing him from clawing at his neck. “Your thoughts are far away. You should bring them back to here and now. It’s strange seeing you so submissive. Are you tired?” He didn’t respond. “I’ll go make some coffee. Would you like a cup, too, Yuki-chan?” I asked as I stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

“Yes, please,” she smiled.

Shortly after I’d gotten to the kitchen and started making the coffee, Zero came in and stood behind me, holding my hands. He didn’t say anything and my heart rate leapt in surprise. He was standing so close that I could feel his chest rise and fall with each breath that he took. I wondered what he was thinking. I knew he wasn’t going to bite me because he was so calm, but I had no idea what could have been on his mind to make him be so tender toward me all of a sudden.

“Zero, what’s wrong?” I inquired as I slightly leaned back against his chest. “…Zero?”

He slightly tightened his grip on my hands before he spoke up; “I think I was able to live on because you were beside me, Yua…”

My heart leapt and I had the urge to turn around, throw my arms around him, and kiss him. Instead, I smiled. “I don’t plan on leaving your side, Zero… ever…”

I supported my own weight when his grip loosened and he retracted his arms, and when I turned to face him, he was on his way out the door. He said that he was going to his dorm, but I could tell by his tense posture that he was lying. I felt it in my gut that he was lying but I let him go. He was determined and it was part of Kaname’s plan. Despite Kaname doing strange things to get what he wanted, I trusted him. I knew he wouldn’t let Yuki or me get hurt, but his goal was to get and keep Yuki. He was playing a giant game of chess with everyone in the night class and on the Disciplinary Committee, and Yuki was the queen that he was trying to protect. I wondered what pieces Zero, Maria Kurenai, and I were, which side Maria was on, and how she fit into his plan.

When I went back into the study to give Yuki her cup, she was gone, too. I sighed, knowing she’d gone after Zero just because I knew she was nosey. I followed my gut to where Zero and Maria were and saw Kaname holding an unconscious Yuki on the outside of a cracked door to a dark room. When Kaname saw me, we looked at each other and left without even looking into the room where I knew Zero and Maria were. As we left in silence, I kept glancing up at him, each time asking silent questions.

“Is there something you wish to say, Yua?” he asked.

“I knew you had something to do with all of this… I just wonder what goes on in your head sometimes. I wonder what you have planned for Zero and me and how Maria or whoever she really is has a place in it…”

“You are a valuable piece in my plans, Yua. I cannot have you getting into trouble, but I know that you won’t. You are obligated to protect Yuki and always have been. I know that you will not fail me,” he responded, still not answering my question.

“I’d ask you to include Zero less or not at all, but he’s already been ensnared so there’s nothing else I can do… I trust you, Kaname, though I wonder if I should sometimes. Whatever happens, I trust that both Zero and I will live through it.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because if Zero were to die on your behalf, you would lose a friend as well as whatever piece I play in your plan. Your entire plan would fall apart without the key piece that I am, forcing you to rethink your strategy, thus taking more time that could result in the loss of your queen.”

“Whatever happens, you will not fail me,” he stated again, not looking at me.

He handed Yuki off to me, said good-night, and left. Not knowing what else to do, I put Yuki to bed in her dorm and left to my own.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. –Nira

After class just like the night before, Yuki ran after Zero but she ran into Maria first. I saw everything happen, but I didn’t do anything about it. Instead, I went to help our class prepare for the ball since Yuki had significantly lowered our average by only writing her name on the answer sheet, and Zero hadn’t taken the test.

As I was handing a girl a roll of tape that she’d dropped, Zero burst through the doors, demanding to know if Maria had been there. He was covered in blood and when I shook my head “no,” he stormed into the next room while I slowly followed after him. There were muttered conversations about Zero and me, but I ignored them. Zero was more important.

“You were there last night, too, weren’t you?” he asked.

“Yeah… but I didn’t see what happened.”

“Stay away from that woman…”

“I know… I’m more worried about you, Zero. You lost a lot of blood, right?”

“I’m fine…” he said, turning his head away and glaring at something.

I tied my hair up into a ponytail, loosened my shirt and took a step closer to him. One look at me and he knew without me saying anything. He pinned me against the wall by gripping my wrists and plunged his fangs into my neck while I breathed, keeping myself calm and patiently waited for him to finish. When he was done, he licked my neck, trying to clean up some of the blood that he’d spilled and apologized. I faintly smiled and gently held his cheek in my hand.

“It’s not your fault… It’s all right,” I cooed. “I’ll see you at the ball.”

I walked off to get ready to be security at the ball since Headmaster asked me to. I took a shower and watched the blood run down the drain. When I was done, I got dressed in a black form-fitting strapless dress with a big white bow tied in the back around my waist. There was an intricate white rhinestone floral design on the chest and I was wearing a white shawl, white silk gloves, and a pair of white baby-doll heels.

My long, blue-black hair was left down in loose curls and my bangs were clipped back with a white rose hair clip. My silver eyes were accented with black eye liner, mascara, and smoky eye shadow. I also wore pearly lipstick, and a little blush to accentuate my high cheekbones. I finished off the outfit with a silver sakura printed white ribbon necklace and silver sakura dangling earrings, and a few sprays of my favorite perfume.

I checked my image in the mirror, smiled, and left to the ballroom. When I got to the ball, I looked around at all of the beautiful dresses and people, and I was quickly whisked away with the elegance of the festivities. Yuki smiled as she walked over to me and complimented my outfit, so I smiled and complimented her back. We started walking arm-in-arm when we heard the headmaster gasp from behind us. We looked at him and I noticed Zero leaning against the pillar next to him.

“My girls are all dressed up!” he squealed. “Dance with Daddy later! Look at my daughters, everyone! Aren’t they gorgeous?!”

“Uh… sure,” I half smiled, so he ran off saying that he’d come find us later.

“Well, everything seems to be under control, so I’ll see you two later, okay?” Yuki smiled.

“Have fun, and be careful,” I smiled and waved as she walked away.

After a moment of awkward silence, I turned to Zero and took a step closer to him. I adjusted his uniform so he’d look more presentable. I glanced him over, thinking that there was something missing and smiled when I realized what it was. I unclipped my bangs and clipped the rose to his jacket pocket.

“There. That’s better. And the flower is so big that nobody will notice that it’s a hair clip,” I grinned up at him.

“I don’t get it… How can you keep smiling?”

“Because I want you to smile, too…”

There was a long stretch of silence as we both scanned the area for anything bad but it was really boring because nothing seemed to be out of place. I blushed and twiddled my fingers as I tried to talk myself into asking him to dance. Just as I was about to sigh and give up, chickening out, Zero spoke up.

“If there’s something that you want to say, say it and stop stressing out about it…” he said, irritated.

“When you say it like that, it makes me not want to ask at all… You don’t realize how intimidating you are,” I blushed.

“Just ask. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“I’m not sure. I’d be really embarrassed if you said ‘no,’ but I’d probably have a panic attack if you said ‘yes’…”

“Then the answer is ‘maybe.’”

“You can’t do that!”

“I’m not going to answer a question that hasn’t been asked.”

“Okay, okay!” I blushed and worried at a piece of fabric from my dress. “W-Will you… Zero, will you dance with me?”

“That’s it?” he raised his eyebrow.

“Hey, it took a lot of courage to ask you, so a straight answer would be really appreciated before my imagination gets any more vivid and I run out, crying,” I pouted and chewed on my bottom lip.

He sighed and grabbed my hand, walking toward the dance floor and my blush deepened in shock and ecstatic embarrassment. As we pushed our way toward the middle of the crowd, everyone around us stopped what they were doing to stare and whisper. A huge smile was played across my face and when Zero placed his free hand on my hip and placed my hand on his shoulder, it felt like the world stood still for a moment and it was just the two of us. I stared up into his eyes and he stared back into my silver ones as we waltzed to the music. My heart was racing and there were butterflies going crazy in my stomach. Neither of us said anything, but we didn’t avert our eyes, either.

“Hey… Zero, do you… like me… as in more than a friend?” I blushed, finally breaking the bridge that our eyes had made by averting mine.

It was silent for a while and he’d stumbled in the steps of the waltz that we were still dancing to, but he quickly recovered from it. I still wouldn’t look at him because I was too afraid of seeing the expression on his face, but when I did muster up the bravery to look, I was both shocked and suddenly overcome with sorrow. His face was stony, but his eyes were a turbulent storm of confusion, anger, and grief.

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Because I want to know…” I mumbled, embarrassed.

“Does the answer really matter? Either way, you said so yourself that there’s a line that we could never cross.”

“I don’t care what I said before. Zero, we’ve already overstepped one line, and it was a major line. What would be the difference if we overstepped this one?”

“My answer doesn’t matter,” he growled and pushed his way out of the crowd just as the song was ending.

I felt so hurt and rejected that I wanted to cry. I stood there in the middle of the dance floor for a moment, composing myself. I decided that I needed a distraction, so I’d go check on Yuki and see how she was doing. I’d seen her dancing with Kaname on the terrace earlier, so I checked there first. When I saw Kaname leaning against the banister alone, I knew that something was wrong.

“Kaname, where’s Yuki?” I demanded.

“Have you forgotten your duty already?” he glared at me.

I glared back and ran to the building that the night class used to live in before the moon dorm was ready for habitation. I burst through the doors and saw Shizuka Hio, one of the famed pureblood females about to bite Yuki. I snatched Yuki away from her and held _Natsuhiboshi_ to Shizuka’s neck.

“Yuki, tell me what’s going on right now while I can still keep my temper,” I growled, glaring murderously at Shizuka.

“Yua, don’t kill her! She’s the one who attacked Zero’s family!”

“That gives me more reason to kill her,” I snapped, pressing the tip of _Natsuhiboshi_ into Shizuka’s neck and drawing blood.

“She’s the only one who can save Zero!”

I paused, glancing briefly at Yuki. When I looked back at Shizuka, she was looking at me with bored eyes. “Why did you use Yuki? She has nothing to do with this or Zero…”

“Yuki and I made a deal. It was something only she could do. If she could bring me the body of Kaname Kuran as a gift, I would save Zero… If not, she would have to offer herself to me,” Shizuka explained. “… but now I can see that you are the one I need, not her… It’s your blood that I seek, not Yuki’s.”

“Then take it. Just let Yuki go and save Zero… please…” I offered, lowering _Natsuhiboshi_. “Yuki, get out of here… Kaname is waiting for you.”

“I’m not leaving you…”

“You’re a good girl, Yua…” Shizuka said as she leaned in to bite me.

I tensed up, closed my eyes, and swallowed hard as my heart rate skyrocketed. The door burst open again and Zero stood in the doorway, panting. He looked angry to begin with, but when he saw how close Shizuka was to my neck, he glared and drew _Bloody Rose_ , pointing it at her head.

“Shizuka, let Yua go!” he yelled.

Yuki jumped between us, _Artemis_ drawn and ready, telling Zero to stay back. When he saw the determined look on her face, he glared at her as if she was stupid.

“Move it, Yuki! Why would you—?!”

“She’s the only one who can save you! The only way to stop becoming a level E is for you to drink this woman’s blood! I promised that I’d let her drink from me, but Yua wouldn’t allow it, so some things changed, but…”

“Yuki,” I called, so she looked back at me. “Please… trust me. I’ll handle it… I’m begging you to go back to the ball…”

“But—!”

“Yuki, please…” I pleaded, so she nodded and left.

Zero’s gun trained to Shizuka again, but this time it was me to get in the way. I stared at him, my mind racing, trying to figure out what I was doing and why, and what I was going to do next. Honestly, I had no right to stop him from exacting his revenge.  I didn’t want to stop him if it would give him even a little piece of mind, but I didn’t want him to fall to level E, either. I also didn’t want him to kill himself once he killed her, like I knew he wanted to.

“Yua, what are you doing?” Zero growled.

“I don’t know… I don’t want to stop you, but I don’t want you to throw away your one chance to stop becoming a level E, either…”

“Then don’t stop me!”

“I’m sorry, Zero,” I sniffled, tears streaming down my face as I raised my bracelet to his tattoo.

He grabbed my wrist and glared at me. “Why are you trying to stop me?! She should—!” he yelled, but stopped seeing that I was crying.

“This girl has tamed you…” Shizuka said, and Zero’s eyes widened and he tensed up. “Are you happy to have finally heard your master’s voice? You cannot help but obey me. I am back in my own body. Now my voice has the power to bind you… This is convenient… Keep holding Yua. I created you. I am your master. You cannot disobey me, Zero.”

Zero’s eyes glossed over and he turned me around she he was behind me, and his grip tightened.

“Please stop… You don’t have to force him to do this. I already told you that you can have my blood…” I whimpered.

“For four years this body has been ravenous… Did you truly believe that your blood was enough?” she asked before pulling Zero’s collar down.

She sheathed her fangs into his flesh and I could her greedily guzzling his blood from his body. He looked like he was in pain and my heart broke. Again, there was nothing I could do for him, and I hated it.

“Please stop! You’ve tortured him enough! Why are you being so cruel to him?!” I screamed.

“I’m punishing him for becoming attached to you… Yua, you call me cruel, but you’re being cruel, yourself. Your choices make Zero suffer… Even I can see that,” Shizuka said, staring straight into my eyes before leaning in to take my blood.

“I know… I—… I thought if I was with him, everything would be all right…” I smiled, tears rolling down my cheeks. “I wonder if he’ll ever be able to forgive me one day…”

Just as I’d said it, I felt Zero let me go, so I looked back at him in shock. He was covering his face and I could feel his pain emanating from him in waves.

“Don’t…” he growled, grabbing Shizuka’s neck.

“You can’t do it, Zero… Just stay being my puppet for now. You can’t even squeeze those fingers around my neck…”

Zero pointed the gun at his leg and pulled the trigger while I screamed. His grip tightened around her neck, and then he pointed the gun at her chest.

“…take…” he glared, shooting her twice, and she started laughing, jumping back from him.

“You want to kill me, but this isn’t enough,” she smirked.

“…anything… more… away from me,” he finished the sentence tensely, glaring at her with so much hatred that it was obvious that he meant every word he said and had every intention of killing her. “I’ll finish it. I’ll end it all. Rest in peace, Shizuka. I kept on living just for this day.”

I threw my arms around him from behind and he sighed.

“Let me go, Yua…”

“Not until you promise me that you won’t do it… Promise me that you won’t give up on life or yourself… that you won’t give up on me, Zero…” There was a long pause of silence between us, so I hugged him tighter. “Zero, promise me.”

“I promise…” he murmured, so I slowly let him go.

As he pointed the gun at Shizuka again, a katana went through his shooting arm, so I glared at its thrower. It was a boy about Zero’s height with a white mask over his eyes and nose and long, almost shoulder length silver hair.

“Shizuka-sama, why are you playing with him?”

“Don’t interfere. You keep out of this.”

“I understand, but I cannot accept the way you treat us so differently.”

“I thought you were dead… Ichiru,” Zero said as he pulled the katana from his arm.

“You know who I am, Zero? My big brother remembers me,” Ichiru smirked, slowly removing his mask.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. –Nira

Ichiru… That name brought back memories. The first time that I’d met both Zero and Ichiru they looked so much alike that I could only tell them apart by their skin tones and eyes. Ichiru was the sickly of the two so he was paler, but I could always tell their eyes apart, too, despite them being the same color. Ichiru’s eyes were filled with darkness, and when I looked at the man on the floor above us, I could see that darkness again.

“How long are you going to keep playing with Zero, Shizuka-sama? He’s hunting you, isn’t he? I won’t allow it, Shizuka-sama. I will not have you die,” Ichiru said as he walked and stood in front of her protectively.

“Zero and I have unfinished business. Don’t worry. I have no intention of dying here,” she responded before she left.

As Zero went to chase after her, Ichiru stopped him, claiming that he was offended that Zero was ignoring him.

“We were so close back then… Do you know what I was thinking that night, Zero? Perhaps you’ve always known. What had grown in my heart… was darkness. Until that day, you had pretended not to notice, Zero. Our parents slowly became people I didn’t care… And you, Zero, my favorite… I’ve always hated you. By the way, you should thank me. It was I who asked Shizuka-sama to keep you alive.”

“So you could make me suffer… and then kill me by your own hand,” Zero responded.

“Exactly… tell me, Zero…” Ichiru asked leaning toward Zero and glaring at him. “Did you suffer having your fate twisted by Shizuka-sama? Have you suffered as much as I?”

They continued talking for a little bit, so I stayed back, listening to the conversation until they were at each other’s throats. I jumped in, pushing and holding them away from each other.

“Stop it! You two are brothers! You shouldn’t do this!” I yelled and felt the tip of a knife to my throat.

“If you’re going to get in the way, I’ll kill you even if Shizuka-sama doesn’t want me to,” Ichiru glared, staring straight into my eyes.

“I’m not afraid of you and I’m not afraid to die,” I glared back, pressing against the knife so I had a small cut in my throat to show him that I wasn’t joking.

Zero pointed _Bloody Rose_ at Ichiru’s head, demanding for him to stop. Ichiru smirked and pushed the barrel of the gun up, explaining to Zero that only Zero had been turned into a vampire. How Ichiru had become healthy was by drinking Shizuka’s blood.

“The smell of blood is strong…” Zero said, and Ichiru took off running to find Shizuka.

As Zero went to chase after him, I stopped him again. He yelled for me to let him go and that he had to kill her. I shook my head “no,” holding him tighter.

“You lied, Zero… When everything is finished, you want to die, too.”

“Yes… You already knew my decision. That’s why what you’re doing is unnecessary… Yua, I won’t allow you to become a vampire… ever.”

“I only did it to protect my little sister and because there was a chance that you would be saved… I did it because I was afraid of losing you, Zero…”

“Yua, why?! You don’t need to care for me so much!” he yelled, hugging me tightly and holding my head into his shoulder.

My eyes widened and my heart rate increased as I held my breath. It felt like it lasted forever, but he said that he was glad nothing happened to me and let me go. He told me to stay there and that he’d be back. When he was out of sight, I got light-headed and fell to my knees, holding my hand to my heart. I heard someone walk in and run over to me, so when I looked up to see Kain, I was shocked.

“Are you all right?” he asked, worried, so I nodded.

When he helped me up, I came out of my shocked stupor and remembered that Zero had gone to kill Shizuka. My eyes widened again, wondering what had happened, so I ran down the hall. When I burst through the door I saw Zero standing wide-eyed with _Bloody Rose_ still drawn and purple splinters of what I assumed were the remains of Shizuka Hio. Kain examined the scene with an unreadable expression and I bit my lip, realizing what it must’ve looked like to him.

“Kiryuu… did you…?” Kain asked, but Zero was lost to his thoughts and didn’t answer for a while.

“I… didn’t kill her…” he said, glaring at the ground in disbelief.

Kain stood there for a moment, but left without a word, the unreadable expression still on his face. I gently placed my hand on Zero’s back and leaned on his arm, careful not to bump the lower half where Ichiru’s katana had gone through it.

“I’m sorry, Zero…” I muttered. “Come on… Let’s get you to the headmaster so he can fix you up… Don’t worry about the notes or anything tomorrow. I’ll take care of it.”

“What are you going to tell Yuki?” he asked.

“I don’t know… I’m not sure if I should tell her anything at all… She shouldn’t be concerned with these things. She’s the one that he’s trying to protect… We’re just pawns…”

“You make it seem like you had a part in all of this—that you knew and/or helped create his plan…”

“Not exactly… I’ve known Kaname for a very long time. I sort of know his plan but not the exact details… All I can really do is trust him…”

“Trust him?” he scoffed.

“Yes. I trust him. You may believe that all vampires are bad but you have a lot to learn, Zero. I know a side of Kaname that you have only glimpsed. There was a time when I was just like you. Don’t think that you’re the only one who has suffered and hated, Zero. My pain goes back way before yours even started,” I snapped, leaving him in shock with the headmaster before storming away to the bathroom to shower and go to bed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. I simply borrow them to use in my own sick, twisted fantasies. ^^ I do, however, follow very closely with the plot from the manga. That does not mean, however, that I’m claiming it as my own. –Nira

Yuki had seen me on my way to give Zero the notes from class and stopped me. I hadn’t seen her or Zero since the night before, so I knew I was bound to run into one before I ran into the other. I had just hoped that it was Zero before Yuki. I knew Yuki was going to want the entire story in detail about what happened after she left, and I knew Zero was going to ask me about what I’d meant once he got the chance.

“Yua, is everything okay? Zero isn’t here today and you seem troubled about something. Did something bad happen?” Yuki asked, worried.

“It wasn’t Zero that killed Shizuka Hio… He didn’t get to drink her blood, but she’s gone and Zero’s brother will be back… Yuki, I don’t want you to worry about Zero or me anymore,” I said, so she looked at me in confusion.

“Why not?”

“Zero and I are pieces to a game that Kaname is playing. We’re here to help him get his goal whether we like it or not, and his goal is to protect you, Yuki. Zero and I are going to go through a lot of drama and I don’t want you to worry because there’s something much worse coming for you. I’m not sure exactly what it is but it’s not going to be good. Keep your guard up and worry about yourself, all right? I’ll never be able to forgive myself if something bad happens to my precious little sister,” I faintly smiled before walking around her and continuing on my way.

When I walked around the corner, I bumped into someone and jumped back, flustered. I panicked, blushing and bowed repeatedly, apologizing over and over.

“Watch where you’re going, Yua…” Zero said.

“Sorry. It doesn’t hurt, does it?” I asked, concerned.

“I’m fine.”

“He’s lying, Yua. Kiryuu still has a fever. He’s just being stubborn because he messed up,” Headmaster explained to me. He then turned to Zero, “Stop making us worry!”

“Headmaster, I need to talk to you,” Zero said, ignoring his fretting.

“Stop right there. If it’s something important, we’ll talk about it once you’ve healed. Now, go back to bed. I’ll cook you something. You must be hungry.”

I followed Zero into his room with my notebook, plopped onto his bed as if I was taking the place over, and started copying my notes into his notebook. It was silent for a while aside from the scratching of my pencil, but I felt his eyes glued to me the whole time.

“If there’s something you want to say, just say it. You’re kinda freaking me out,” I said.

“So you’re good friends with Kaname Kuran now? When did that happen?” he growled.

“Almost around the same time that Yuki came here.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t feel the need to… Don’t tell me you’re jealous…” I said, glancing at him coldly. “I have absolutely no romantic feelings toward Kaname. He’s like an older brother to me…” I explained, returning to the notebooks.

“What else don’t I know about you?”

“I could ask you the same question, Zero,” I snapped. “Why are you so interested in me all of a sudden? Aren’t I like all the other girls here? Annoying?”

“I never said that,” he growled.

“You sure like to make it seem that way… Here are your notes.”

I smacked the notebook to his chest and went to leave in a huff when Zero grabbed my wrist, stopping me. My heart skipped a beat and I blushed, so I held my breath and wouldn’t look at him.

“I’m sorry if I made it seem that way… You caught me off guard and struck a nerve. I’ve been trying to figure out what you meant by what you said last night, but I’m still coming up blank and it’s frustrating me,” he explained. “How were you just like me? Why and how have you suffered? Yua, I need to know… I want to know…”

“You really don’t remember the very first time we met?” I asked, looking at him. “It was eleven years ago. A little girl with blue-black hair and silver eyes had run to your house and pounded on the door, screaming for someone to open it. Your mom answered and the girl ran in and clung to the first person she saw, wide-eyed in fear and staring out the door.

“The first person she saw was you, Zero. When the door was closed, the little girl started crying, so your mom picked her up, gave her a bath, and put her to bed. She couldn’t sleep, so she stayed up all night, sitting on the floor and staring at the door, waiting for her parents to come get her. She wouldn’t even eat the dinner your mom had prepared. She just sat, stared, and cried in front of the door. The next morning you woke up and saw her, still sitting there in front of the door, so you sat next to her. Neither of you said anything, but she started crying again, realizing that her parents weren’t coming for her. You went to get your parents and they took the little girl away that morning,” I finished.

“That was you?” he breathed, wide-eyed, so I nodded.

“That night my parents and I had been on our way home from the movies. We were ambushed by a group of vampires… I ran… my parents stayed and fought… I was alone— the last of the Akanetsukis, the hunter clan second best to the Kiryuus.  I hated vampires with every strand of my being. I absolutely loathed them and wanted death upon all of them whether they were part of the attack or not… I wanted them to suffer for even existing and feeding off of humans.

“When I first met Kaname, I thought that he was no better than any other vampire, pureblood or not until I saw how he treated Yuki with so much care… Eventually, I couldn’t hate him. He was kind to me, too, and because of him, I was able to see vampires in a different light… until you came…

“I knew who you were as soon as I saw you. When Headmaster said that your family was attacked by a bad vampire, I hated them again… You and your family had been so nice to me. For something that horrible to happen to such nice people… for you to suffer being the last like I had, it wasn’t fair… Even now when I see a vampire biting someone, hear of one going rogue, or see them looking at someone with those ugly, hungry eyes my blood boils… The hatred never really goes away… It just gets numbed for a while…”

“How can you keep smiling?” he asked, astonished. “Why don’t you hate me, too?”

“I could never hate you. Even if you fell to level E, I could never hate you. It’s not your fault. You didn’t ask for any of this—you don’t want it… You’re the victim, Zero. As for why I keep smiling, it’s because I have something to live for. I have very important people who are very close to me to protect,” I smiled.

I kissed his cheek, said good-night, and left to go on patrol with Yuki. As I was walking outside I saw her jump the fence surrounding the school grounds and ran to catch up with her, wondering what she was doing. As soon as I caught up, I saw her talking to a vampire. I jumped in front of her, glaring at the vampire with _Natsuhiboshi_ drawn.

“What business do you have with my sister, vampire?” I asked with venom in my voice.

“Could you please tell me where the other guardian is?” the vampire asked, charging at us with lengthened claws.

Just as I was about to counter attack, Zero jumped in, holding me in one arm and paralyzing the vampire’s hand with the other. I glared at him for holding me like a sack of rice.

“What do you want with me?” Zero demanded, and I smiled. He was so handsome when he was being serious and protective.

“Zero Kiryuu, under the order of the Senate, the highest governing body of vampires, I have come to execute you for the murder of the pureblood vampires, Shizuka Hio,” the vampire grinned, pushing his glasses up.

“Murder…?” Yuki breathed.

“He didn’t do it, Yuki-chan,” I spat more at the vampire than Yuki as Zero set me down.

“The Senate proudly protects our pureblood masters but you slipped through and killed Shizuka Hio. I will imprint on your brain how precious a pureblood vampire is to us. Prepare for your execution, Zero Kiryuu. The only way you can atone for your sin… is to offer your life. It’s a cheap price to pay, isn’t it?”

Zero glared at the vampire before breaking his hand and throwing him onto the ground. I chuckled until I remembered that Zero hadn’t fully healed from the katana through his arm yet.

“Sorry… I’m not willing to pay that price,” Zero huffed, clenching his chest.

“Even if you kill me, you can’t escape your fate. You will be executed.”

“Over my dead body,” I growled, preparing for battle.

“That can be arranged,” another vampire chuckled.

“Yua, get out of here. This has nothing to do with you,” Zero stated.

“It has everything to do with me. You should know by now that I’m not leaving you… Yuki, you should go. I don’t want Kaname getting mad at me again.”

“No way, Yua! We’re in this together!” she protested.

The long haired vampire in front of us had what looked like a spike of blood go through the back of his head and he turned into a pile of ash, so Yuki and I became more alert, unsure of what was going on or who had attacked him. Suddenly, we were surrounded by the entire night class and I sighed in tense relief.

“Kaname, they have no reason to execute Zero,” Yuki pleaded.

“I know. Don’t worry,” Kaname said, caressing her cheek.

“Why would you save me, Kuran?” Zero growled.

“I couldn’t tolerate the execution of a fellow classmate by foolish members of my race for groundless reasons.”

“Thank you, Kaname, though I know you didn’t do it for Zero or me,” I said, ushering Zero away. “Yuki-chan, I’ll let you report to the headmaster while I take Zero to the infirmary. See ya.”

“Yua, I’m fine,” Zero protested.

“No, you’re not,” I growled back.

As soon as we were away from the night class I let Zero go and he looked at me funny. I smiled and explained that I didn’t want him to be there any more than I wanted to be there since we’re both hunters by blood and almost the entire night class hated us for one reason or another. I patrolled around the moon dorm leaving Zero and Yuki to the academic building and sun dorm.


	13. Chapter 13

The next day there weren’t any classes so I decided to go grocery shopping for ingredients to make dinner for everyone. Headmaster was out for the day and wasn’t going to be able to do it. When I got back from the market, Headmaster was still gone and Aido was sitting on the couch in the headmaster’s private quarters while Zero was out of breath and glaring at him.

“Don’t make me run after you,” Zero demanded, huffing.

“You should’ve just helped me out from the start,” Aido pouted.

“What’s going on?” I asked, pausing in the doorway.

“Aido ran away from the Moon dorm,” Yuki responded.

“Okay then… I’m not even going to ask…”

“Did you go grocery shopping?” Aido asked, noticing the bags.

“Yeah, why?”

“I’m hungry. Cook me something. Oh, and is there a bed I can sleep in during the day? I prefer soft beds and if anybody comes looking for me, don’t tell them I’m here.”

Zero’s temper flared again, so Yuki tried to calm him down while I walked into the kitchen with the food, ignoring the tiff.

“Aido, did something happen to make you want to run away?” Yuki asked.

“Not really…”

Zero put the groceries away while I cooked enough for six people so there would be leftovers for the headmaster. Unfortunately, however, Aido ate enough for three and still wanted more.

“Give him mine. I’ll just cook some more,” I said, handing the plate that I’d set aside for myself to Yuki.

“No, you eat. Give him blood tablets for now and I’ll cook more,” Zero said as he traded his pack of blood tablets for the plate in Yuki’s hand.

“Okay,” she smiled and left the room to entertain Aido.

I stared at Zero as I ate and he cooked, so he looked back at me and asked what was wrong. I smiled and shook my head. “Nothing. Just thinking.”

“About what?” he inquired.

“A lot of things… I know Kaname has good intentions but I worry about how he goes about obtaining things. I worry what will happen and how things will turn out, and whether or not Yuki will be happy…”

Zero was silent as he cooked, so I finished my food, kissed his cheek, and went to fetch Aido’s dirty dishes. When I put them in the sink, I went back to talk with him and Yuki. When he’d finally finished eating and was satisfied, I told Yuki that she should go to bed because it was getting late. She yawned and nodded in agreement, said good-night, and left, and I cleared the remaining dishes from the table.

When I got to the kitchen with the stack of dishes I wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking and tripped over the rug. I dropped the entire stack of dishes and they shattered across the floor. I sighed, pulling the trashcan closer so I could pick up the large chunks of glass immediately within reach, but I cut my finger in the process of cleaning and hissed at the stinging pain as the blood bubbled to the surface of the fresh wound.

“Stop it. I’ll go get—,” Zero started, but I grabbed his sleeve with my other hand, stopping him.

“Lick it,” I demanded, standing and pointing the bleeding finger at him. As he did so, cleaning every drop that had spilled off, he started panting and I knew that he wanted more. “Don’t resist it, Zero… I know you’re thirsty.”

I gently held his hand to my wrist with a faint smile and he called my name, looking me in the eye with a kaleidoscope of emotions. He pushed my sleeve up to my elbow and looked up at me again, as if asking if it was okay. I smiled sadly and gently ran my fingers through his hair, so he looked away in shame and bared his fangs. They sank into the tender flesh of my wrist and it felt like getting a shot. I watched him with my heart racing and my cheeks reddening. I was trembling, but it wasn’t from fear. It was from sheer exuberance. It was so dangerous, so risky, so wrong, but I didn’t care. All I cared was that Zero and I were in it together, forbidden or not.

He looked up at me with those unreadable blood red eyes and all I could do was stare back into them as my whole body seemed to catch fire from inside. It’s not that I was obligated to donate my blood to Zero. There was no feeling even remotely close to obligation when we performed our forbidden act. It was just another connection that we had, deeper than any obligation could ever be. It was a connection that I was afraid would disappear. When he’d had his fill, he looked away and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. I smiled, grabbing his hands.

“Why are you smiling?” he sulked.

“Because I’m happy,” I grinned.

“There’s something wrong with you…”

“Why? Because I’m happy to have a connection with you? Must you always be so pessimistic?”

“Must you always be so optimistic?”

“Yes. Who else is going to give you something else to think about?” I beamed.

“You should go take a bath. You reek of blood…”

“I don’t regret it, and I’m not afraid of you, Zero. No matter what you may think, I’m not afraid of you… I just thought you should know that… Good night, Zero.”

“Good night…”


	14. Chapter 14

It was lunch time so everyone was talking in groups, Zero was sleeping, and I was staring out the window, bored until I heard the thud of a body hitting the floor and someone else yelling “hey.” When I looked up there was a girl unconscious on the ground and I instantly saw the puncture wounds on her neck. As soon as I was up, so was Zero and he carried the girl to the infirmary while I reported to the headmaster. After going to speak with her at the infirmary, he called Zero, Kaname, Yuki, and me to rendezvous at his office to further investigate the situation. He explained to us that the girl didn’t remember who drank from her or what had happened. With that, Kaname commented that it had to be someone from the night class.

“Don’t worry. Whoever did this was clever. It doesn’t mean you’re useless,” Zero said, patting Yuki’s head when he’d noticed her crestfallen expression.

“Hey, you should feel a little responsible, too, Zero,” she pouted and I chuckled.

“Kiryuu, you’re a suspect as well. You’re of a rare lineage of vampire hunters so I wouldn’t be surprised if you developed extraordinary powers,” Kaname interceded.

“I don’t recall doing anything,” Zero retorted.

“Really? Maybe your lust for blood has led you to attacking humans unconsciously…”

“Kaname!” Headmaster and I yelled, me glaring at him.

“Even if you don’t like Zero, I thought you still trusted him! Do you really believe that Zero attacked a girl?!” Yuki questioned.

“Don’t say ‘attacked a girl’…” Zero muttered.

“Yeah, Yuki-chan. That just makes it sound so much worse…” I added.

“Shut up!” she growled back, so I sighed, rolling my eyes. “I’ll find out who did it to prove that Zero is innocent! I won’t speak to you again until you admit Zero is innocent!” she yelled as she dragged Zero and me out the door.

I noticed the apologetic look she gave him as we were leaving and knew that she instantly regretted saying that. As she was dragging us, I sighed and just went along with it. She was determined and I zoned out for a while until she stopped walking and started yelling a rant that caught me off guard and made me jump in surprise.

“I’ll catch the vampire who broke the school rules and make Kaname apologize to you! I’ll shed a little blood to be a decoy…”

Zero glared at her and I balled my hand into a fist, trying as hard as I could not to hit her for being so stupid.

“Let’s go talk to that girl,” Zero suggested, walking away.

“Is she still in the infirmary?” I asked, following him.

“Only one way to find out.”

When Zero opened the door to the infirmary, we came face to face with all of Kaname’s favorites of the night class Shiki, Ichijo, Rima, Kain, and Ruka already there. I sighed, thinking “why am I not surprised? Kaname probably sent them to investigate.” I zoned out again, walking over to the window where Kain was located and leaned out of it, looking up at the stars. Kain looked at me oddly and tensed up slightly.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“What? I can’t look out the window?” I asked back. “Relax. I don’t bite,” I chuckled at my own bad joke.

I perked up, remembering that I owed Rima a box of strawberry pandas, so I jumped up and told her to wait there while I ran out the door toward the headmaster’s quarters. I dug through the cabinets to the back where I hid my snacks and junk food and pulled out two boxes of strawberry pandas for Rima and a box of strawberry dessert pockey for myself. I opened up the pockey and put a stick between my lips and walked back to the infirmary with a smile on my face. When I got back, Zero had just left so I smiled as I handed the pandas to Rima and left again to sit under a tree to enjoy the night and my pockey.

It was a while later when I snapped out of my jumbled thoughts and realized how late it had gotten. I decided to head back inside to find Zero and ask if he was hungry and wanted a late night snack. I guessed that he’d either be at the stable or in the infirmary since the girl and everyone in the night class would have left, leaving the room quiet and dark enough for him to sleep. I decided to check the stable first since I was already outside, but he wasn’t there, so I went to the infirmary.

When I got there I opened the door and saw a pair of legs on the farthest cot from the door. My hunch had been right, so I smiled and walked over to wake him up. I called his name and shook his leg, but he didn’t wake up right away, so I shook his leg harder. He shot into a sitting position, yelling my name as if he’d had a nightmare.

“Zero? I’m right here. What is it?” I asked, holding my hand to my heart and trying to catch my breath from being scared half to death.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around my abdomen tightly, and my eyes widened in shock and face reddened and heated up. The same feeling I’d had when he was drinking my blood in the kitchen the day Aido ran away, that feeling of a deeper, more intimate connection came back, and my breathing became unsteady.

“Yua…” he breathed. “You’re alive… I thought I’d killed you…”

His grip on me tightened and my heart dropped into my stomach, realizing that he still wasn’t fully awake and that he really had been terrified.

“Zero?” I whispered. No response, but his vice grip around me didn’t loosen. “Zero! I’m here! Are you all right?” I asked, worried, holding his face and tilting his head up so he would look at me.

There was a pause as he examined my face, realizing that he wasn’t still dreaming before he answered “yeah.” I sighed in relief and smiled.

“Thank goodness. Don’t scare me like that, all right?” I chuckled. “Are you hungry? I was just about to go make a late night snack and thought I’d ask.”

He nodded so I smiled and grabbed his hand, pulling him with me to the headmaster’s kitchen. I asked him what he was hungry for but when he didn’t answer I just made omelets for us since they were fast and easy to make. We ate in silence and he helped me wash the dishes when we’d finished. As we were leaving and about to go our separate ways to our own dorms, Zero called my name, so I looked at him with a curious smile.

His expression was serious and my smile fell and face reddened, noticing how intense he looked. He gently took my face in his hands, staring into my eyes that slowly widened in shock. I held my breath in anticipation and refused to look or pull away from him. He slowly pulled my face toward his and my heart fluttered like the wings of a hummingbird. I was afraid that it would explode in my chest and I would die, and my insides felt like they’d caught fire again hotter than the last time. I just hoped that I wouldn’t melt or spontaneously combust.

His warm, soft lips pressed against mine and let go shortly after, but that split second felt like it had lasted an eternity. My vision had gone black for a moment and it felt like there were fireworks going off inside my head. When I came to again, I was astounded that I was still standing in the same place and the same position and hadn’t completely passed out on the ground like I thought I would have. The warmth of Zero’s hands was no longer on my face and he was already on his way down the hall and away from me with his hands in his pockets.

“Z-Zero?” I breathed.

“Good night, Yua,” he called, not looking back at me.

“G-Good night…”


	15. Chapter 14 (Alternate)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is an alternate chapter 14. It is not necessary for the remainder of the story, but it’s a nice bonus (in my opinion). It is rated M for a very good reason. This is a very explicit chapter that has detailed descriptions of sexual activity. It is indeed a lemon and if you don’t like it, please don’t write flame reviews because you really didn’t have to read it in the first place. Again, you have been warned that this is rated M for explicit sexual content. If you’re okay with that, please read on and enjoy. If not, please continue on with chapter 15. Thank you very much. :)

It was lunch time so everyone was talking in groups, Zero was sleeping, and I was staring out the window, bored until I heard the thud of a body hitting the floor and someone else yelling “hey.” When I looked up there was a girl unconscious on the ground and I instantly saw the puncture wounds on her neck. As soon as I was up, so was Zero and he carried the girl to the infirmary while I reported to the headmaster. After going to speak with her at the infirmary, he called Zero, Kaname, Yuki, and me to rendezvous at his office to further investigate the situation. He explained to us that the girl didn’t remember who drank from her or what had happened. With that, Kaname commented that it had to be someone from the night class.

“Don’t worry. Whoever did this was clever. It doesn’t mean you’re useless,” Zero said, patting Yuki’s head when he’d noticed her crestfallen expression.

“Hey, you should feel a little responsible, too, Zero,” she pouted and I chuckled.

“Kiryuu, you’re a suspect as well. You’re of a rare lineage of vampire hunters so I wouldn’t be surprised if you developed extraordinary powers,” Kaname interceded.

“I don’t recall doing anything,” Zero retorted.

“Really? Maybe your lust for blood has led you to attacking humans unconsciously…”

“Kaname!” Headmaster and I yelled, me glaring at him.

“Even if you don’t like Zero, I thought you still trusted him! Do you really believe that Zero attacked a girl?!” Yuki questioned.

“Don’t say ‘attacked a girl’…” Zero muttered.

“Yeah, Yuki-chan. That just makes it sound so much worse…” I added.

“Shut up!” she growled back, so I sighed, rolling my eyes. “I’ll find out who did it to prove that Zero is innocent! I won’t speak to you again until you admit Zero is innocent!” she yelled as she dragged Zero and me out the door.

I noticed the apologetic look she gave him as we were leaving and knew that she instantly regretted saying that. As she was dragging us, I sighed and just went along with it. She was determined and I zoned out for a while until she stopped walking and started yelling a rant that caught me off guard and made me jump in surprise.

“I’ll catch the vampire who broke the school rules and make Kaname apologize to you! I’ll shed a little blood to be a decoy…”

Zero glared at her and I balled my hand into a fist, trying as hard as I could not to hit her for being so stupid.

“Let’s go talk to that girl,” Zero suggested, walking away.

“Is she still in the infirmary?” I asked, following him.

“Only one way to find out.”

When Zero opened the door to the infirmary, we came face to face with all of Kaname’s favorites of the night class Shiki, Ichijo, Rima, Kain, and Ruka already there. I sighed, thinking “why am I not surprised? Kaname probably sent them to investigate.” I zoned out again, walking over to the window where Kain was located and leaned out of it, looking up at the stars. Kain looked at me oddly and tensed up slightly.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“What? I can’t look out the window?” I asked back. “Relax. I don’t bite,” I chuckled at my own bad joke.

I perked up, remembering that I owed Rima a box of strawberry pandas, so I jumped up and told her to wait there while I ran out the door toward the headmaster’s quarters. I dug through the cabinets to the back where I hid my snacks and junk food and pulled out two boxes of strawberry pandas for Rima and a box of strawberry dessert pockey for myself. I opened up the pockey and put a stick between my lips and walked back to the infirmary with a smile on my face. When I got back, Zero had just left so I smiled as I handed the pandas to Rima and left again to sit under a tree to enjoy the night and my pockey.

It was a while later when I snapped out of my jumbled thoughts and realized how late it had gotten. I decided to head back inside to find Zero and ask if he was hungry and wanted a late night snack. I guessed that he’d either be at the stable or in the infirmary since the girl and everyone in the night class would have left, leaving the room quiet and dark enough for him to sleep. I decided to check the stable first since I was already outside, but he wasn’t there, so I went to the infirmary.

When I got there I opened the door and saw a pair of legs on the farthest cot from the door. My hunch had been right, so I smiled and walked over to wake him up. I called his name and shook his leg, but he didn’t wake up right away, so I shook his leg harder. He shot into a sitting position, yelling my name as if he’d had a nightmare.

“Zero? I’m right here. What is it?” I asked, holding my hand to my heart and trying to catch my breath from being scared half to death.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around my abdomen tightly, and my eyes widened in shock and face reddened and heated up. The same feeling I’d had when he was drinking my blood in the kitchen the day Aido ran away, that feeling of a deeper, more intimate connection came back, and my breathing became unsteady.

“Yua…” he breathed. “You’re alive… I thought I’d killed you…”

His grip on me tightened and my heart dropped into my stomach, realizing that he still wasn’t fully awake and that he really had been terrified.

“Zero?” I whispered. No response, but his vice grip around me didn’t loosen. “Zero! I’m here! Are you all right?” I asked, worried, holding his face and tilting his head up so he would look at me.

There was a pause as he examined my face, realizing that he wasn’t still dreaming before he answered “yeah.”

“Thank goodness,” I sighed in relief and smiled.

He closed his eyes and gently held my hand to his cheek. His hand was warm against mine and he slowly leaned his face toward mine while his other hand crept its way into my hair from my cheek. My eyes widened and I held my breath as I felt the intimate connection that I had with him again. He came within centimeters of kissing me but stopped short, and I felt like I was going to faint as I let my breath out in a slow, uneven sigh. He lowered his head and rested one hand on my shoulder and the other on my forearm.

“Sorry… It’s—,” he started, but I cut him off by holding his face and tenderly lifting his head to make him look at me.

I closed my eyes and slowly pulled him into a loving kiss. When I pulled away just as slowly and stared into his eyes it was as if I was telling him that it was okay, that I didn’t mind, that everything was going to be fine, that I would always be by his side, all without actually saying anything at all. His eyes stayed on me as he pulled me into another more passionate kiss. I kissed him back, leisurely wrapping my arms around his neck and tangling my fingers in his hair. I sat on my knees on the cot with each leg on either side of Zero and licked his bottom lip, asking for permission to enter.

Zero wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer and his other hand held the back of my head with tender force, not only parting his own lips to allow my tongue access, but thrusting his own into my mouth as if to claim the new territory. When he pulled away, the two of us looked at each other in astonishment, panting. His lips brushed against mine briefly before moving to my ear to whisper my name and claim that new territory as well. His pillow lips wrapped around my earlobe and he gently sucked on it before trailing soft kisses along my jaw and down my neck. I let out a shaky breath as I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, gently tugging on his hair.

I knew he wasn’t going to bite me. We were both too calm for that, though at that point I wouldn’t have minded whatever he did to me. He kissed down to my collar bone and seemed to have the intention of going lower, but I tilted his head back up to kiss my lips instead. As he kissed back he slowly unbuttoned my jacket, gently pushing it off of my shoulders and onto the floor. He gripped me around my waist, not tearing his lips away from mine and laid me down on the cot, pivoting his lower half the opposite way to sit on his knees and tower over me. I eyed his chest and stomach and slid my hands up his torso, over his shoulders, and down his arms feeling how muscular they were and pushing his jacket off of him as well. I unbuttoned his vest and grabbed his tie, pulling him into another intimate kiss.

He removed his vest and unsnapped my undershirt before trailing kisses down my neck again. He pulled my shirt open, kissing between my breasts and down my stomach before licking around my naval. I moaned and arched my back as his hands travelled up my sides as he licked his way back up to my neck and unhooked my bra. I unsnapped his undershirt and glided my fingertips over his toned chest and flat stomach before pressing my palms flat against his hot skin and sliding them up and around his neck and into his hair again.

He let out a shuddering breath as he quivered in delight, staring down into my starry eyes while I gazed back into his entrancing amber ones. His hands traveled up my sides and brushed over my breasts and shoulders, pulling my shirt with them as they softly traced down my arms leaving only my bra behind. I let out a slow, uneven breath and seductively took my bra off before pushing his undershirt off of his chiseled shoulders and pulling his body against mine, one arm around his torso and the other around his neck. He licked my neck, snaking his hands under me, so I arched my back again and his hands slithered down my back and under my rear, giving it a firm squeeze. I smiled in obvious lust when I felt his semi-erect sex through his pants pressed against my own sex.

I devoured his lips, sitting up and hastily unbuttoning and unzipping his pants as I leaned forward, leading him into a resting position. I kept promiscuous eye contact as I kissed down his perfect, hairless chest and stomach and removed his pants and boxers, only breaking it to examine his partially engorged penis. We both blushed, him out of embarrassment and me out of my overwhelming desire to please and be pleased by him. I licked up the side of it and Zero’s blush deepened as he moaned. I glanced at him, noticing that that small action had caused him to become fully erect and realizing that the expression of pure ecstasy that he’d made was the sexiest and most adorable face I’d ever seen on him. I couldn’t help but want to make him feel even better so he could keep making those beautiful faces and sexy sounds. I took his full length into my mouth and continued to lick it as I bobbed up and down on it. Zero panted and moaned and I felt my own sex getting warm and wet.

“Yua…” he moaned as he came in my mouth.

It was warm, thick, and bitter and there was so much that I had to swallow it in gulps. I sat back on my feet and hummed in delight with me eyes closed and the next thing I felt was Zero practically tackling me onto the cot with a kiss. He sat up and watched his hands meander up my skirt and clutch at the elastic of my panties before he pulled them down and off. I blushed in embarrassment, closing my legs and covering my face.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I whined. “It’s embarrassing…”

He didn’t say anything but he gently kissed my knee and caressed my legs, slowly calming me down and pulling them apart again, placing soft, sweet kisses from my knee and up my thighs. He looked up at me before closing his eyes and I whined as I felt his warm, wet tongue slide into me. It explored every inch of my tender flower, moving in and out and around and flicking my clit. I moaned, gripping onto the cot and biting my knuckle, arching my back and panting. He sucked on my clit and I groaned, trying not to be loud and draw attention to us. He trailed kisses up my stomach while I tried to catch my breath from the sheer intensity of feeling between my legs, and took one of my pert nipples into his mouth while he fondled the other. As if that wasn’t enough to slowly drive me up the wall with lust, I felt him slowly slide two of his fingers into my sex and bit my lower lip to stifle a moan. My body writhed under him in pleasure and I struggled with not yelling out with desire.

When I’d reached my peak and arched my back, Zero crawled over me and cupped my face in his hand, sucking on my bottom lip as he barely slid his sex into mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck as I kissed him lustily and tangled my fingers in his silken hair. He slowly pushed into me and I exhaled in delight, biting my bottom lip and grinning in excitement.

He pulled out and pushed back in and my grin quickly vanished because of the pain. It was uncomfortable, being my first time, but I didn’t want him to stop. He continued thrusting slow and gentle and I huffed with each push, clutching onto his torso. Soon I’d gotten used to the pain and wanted him to go harder, faster, deeper. When he did, I grit my teeth, clawing at his back and a few strained moans escaped my mouth. We slowly climbed to the peak, my breaths getting shorter and shorter and my groaning getting more and more strained as I tried keeping quiet, and when I reached the top, I inhaled a long, sharp breath. Zero bit his lip, drawing blood and gripped the edge of the cot as he reached his. He collapsed onto the cot beside me, panting, so I cuddled into his chest as I caught my own breath.

When we’d both caught our breath I smiled, pushed him onto his back, and straddled him. I leaned in to kiss him, so he kissed back, sitting up and caressing my back with one hand and pulling my leg around his waist with the other. I wrapped both legs around his waist and both arms around his neck, holding the back of his head and deepening the kiss, our tongues wrestling in our mouths. He kicked his legs over the side of the cot and I could feel his stiffened length again. I smiled and hummed into the kiss and he stood, still holding me close and pushed my back against the wall roughly but not hard enough to hurt me.

I moaned into the kiss and gripped his hair in the same manner. Zero let out a low, guttural almost animalistic growl before he nipped on my bottom lip. He pulled away and stared into my eyes, a seductive hunger in his amber ones as he gripped my rear. I grinned, almost as if to challenge him and I groaned as he pushed himself into me again, feeling myself squeezing around his length in need. I was excited and felt adventurous and daring and I wanted him to dominate me. I wanted him to make love to me so good that I wouldn’t be able to prevent myself from calling his name so loud that it would wake the entire day class.

He rammed himself into me fast, hard and deep so I panted and whined, clawing at the wall, gritting my teeth, and tossing my head around. He was panting, too as he licked up my neck and sucked on my earlobe. I grabbed the back of his head and pulled his hair, roughly kissing him and forcing my tongue into his mouth. I bit his lower lip, drawing blood when he’d hit a spot deep inside me that sent a spasm of pleasure through my entire body. He let out a sound somewhere between a moan and a growl and bit into my neck with his excitement. He quickly let go when I gasped in surprise, licked the new wound, and kissed me in apology. We were reaching our peak again, and my body started to convulse in ecstasy. I had to grit my teeth, bite my lip, or occupy my mouth with Zero’s to prevent myself from yelling out his name, but even then, it was proving to be extremely difficult to keep quiet.

“Zero…” I moaned. “I don’t think—ngh—I don’t think I can hold it in this time,” I panted into his ear, clawing at his back again. “Oh, god, it feels so good!”

He didn’t say anything or stop and I quickly reached my peak. Not knowing what else to do to shut myself up, I bit into his neck as hard as I could, breaking skin and drawing blood while I gently held his face and groaned as I rode out my orgasm. Zero moaned as he reached his and when he’d finished, we stood there, still in each other’s arms and leaning against the wall for support. My legs felt weak as if they wouldn’t support me if I tried to walk, but I felt a warm, thick liquid running down them. When I opened my mouth to apologize to Zero for biting him so hard, I was cut off by his mouth covering my own and his tongue wrestling mine, his hands holding my face tenderly. It was soft, sweet, and so full of passion and emotion that I couldn’t help but to blush and kiss back, wrapping my arms around his torso and caressing his back.

“Yua… I …” he whispered to my lips, his eyes closed and forehead pressed to mine, but he didn’t finish.

I didn’t care. I was so happy to have shared that experience with him—to have had my first time be with the man that I loved. Tears formed in my eyes and I pulled him in for another, sweeter kiss. He kissed back just as tenderly and even when we’d parted, the tears wouldn’t stop. I hugged him tight, crying joyful tears into his warm, broad chest. He hugged back, kissing the top of my head and stroking my hair and I never wanted him to let me go or the moment to end.


	16. Chapter 16

Yuki had gone shopping with Yori and while she was away, Zero and I acted like nothing had happened between us the night before. I pretended that my heart didn’t flutter whenever I thought about it, but inside I was a roiling mass of infatuation as we reported to the headmaster. When we got to his office he handed each of us a sheet of paper folded in half.

“Yua, this is your first written order from the Society,” Headmaster said. “You are both to monitor tonight’s vampire soirée that’s being held nearby. It’s a gathering of moderates so there shouldn’t be any trouble.”

“Yippee… Now I’m involved even more,” I sighed.

“You were already involved with the Society? How?” Zero asked.

“It’s complicated. I really don’t want to be involved at all but I don’t have a choice either way,” I responded, walking away to get ready.

I wore the same dress that I wore to the ball and met Zero at the front gate. As we walked, neither of us said anything and I was starting to wonder if I’d dreamed the events of the night before. We were walking to an abandoned building and I shivered, getting a bad feeling about who or what was going to be there.

“Yua…” Zero called, startling me from my thoughts. “Stay on your guard tonight. I don’t want to have to get you out of trouble.”

“Shut up. I can handle myself,” I scoffed and walked ahead of him.

We walked down a flight of stairs and through a door into a large and lavish ballroom where the lights were dimmed and vampires were everywhere. Actors and actresses, models, singers, software company owners, and all sorts of other people that the human world adored or idolized were all vampires.

I looked around the room and froze. The last time I was surrounded by so many vampires, it was a more structured environment, Kaname was there to keep everyone in check, and I knew everyone who was in the immediate vicinity. At this soirée I didn’t know anyone that I’d seen so far and I was afraid that perhaps that some of them were in the group of vampires that had killed my parents or behind the attack. I took an unconscious step backward, bumping into Zero. My heart rate was sky rocketing and I started to panic and hyperventilate.

“Calm down. You’re drawing attention to yourself,” Zero muttered.

“Zero, I can’t do this,” I whispered, spinning to face him.

“You have to. You’re a hunter.”

“No, I’m not! I’ve never killed a vampire in my life and I really have no intention of ever doing so willingly, ever!”

“You don’t have a choice, Yua,” he growled.

“I know, I know! I’m just scared, okay? I don’t like being around so many vampires I don’t know… It brings back bad memories and even worse ‘what if’ scenarios…” I blushed, looking away from him.

“Find Ichijo if you get too uncomfortable since you like and trust him. I won’t be able to be of much help tonight.”

I sighed and nodded in understanding so Zero gave my hand a squeeze. “You’ll be fine,” he whispered in my ear soothingly and walked away.

I meandered around, monitoring the scene and making sure everything was going smoothly. I stopped in a quiet, somewhat secluded corner to observe from afar. Everyone seemed so happy and elegant and I sighed, knowing that they were all in a completely different world from my own world. I also knew that there was no way that I could join in on the festivities unless I became like them. Zero would never allow it and I don’t think I could have ever seriously thought about it. I knew enough about vampires’ personal lives to know that hardly any of them were happy. Hunters were no better, though.

All of a sudden it got silent and everyone was bowing, so I looked up to see what all the lack of commotion was about. Kaname walked into the ballroom followed by Ichijo and I smiled until I saw Kaname’s expression.  He looked tired and irritated about something, so I sighed and looked away from him. My hopes of at least a little comfort in the knowledge that he was there were dashed and replaced by worried curiosity. After a short outburst of everyone praising Kaname and asking him to meet their daughters it got silent again and everyone was bowing to another pureblood. I watched, curious as she walked straight through the crowd and to Kaname. I didn’t hear what they were saying or talking about, but it didn’t matter. I could see in his expression that he wasn’t interested in her and that he was only being courteous. As she was about to walk away, I took my chance to talk to him. I curtsied to him and he nodded in return, though it seemed forced.

“May I have a word with you, Kaname?” I inquired.

“What is it? You’re usually not so formal toward me, Yua,” he said.

“It’s this atmosphere and place. I don’t like it here… Anyway, I noticed that you seem bothered by something. Is there anything I can do about it?”

“No, there’s nothing in particular… Not yet, anyway. Thank you for being concerned.”

“Well, will you tell her that I said to get home safely? You only get like this when she’s involved or in trouble, so will you?” I asked, so he nodded.

“I’m not sure if it’s a good or a bad thing that you know me so well now that the Society has gotten you in its fangs, Yua.”

“I’m on your side for the most part, Kaname. Remember that,” I waved as I walked off.

I ended up running into Zero and smiled up at him, curtsied, and walked off again. I found myself walking amongst the crowd and Aido and Ichijo noticed me and called my name. I smiled and changed course to walk toward them, Kain, and Ruka, and Ichijo was the first to ask what I was doing there.

“The Hunter Society ordered me to come be security of sorts, not that I really want to. I’d rather be here by invitation, though I know that that’s extremely unlikely.”

“You’re a hunter now?” he asked in shock.

“Officially, yes. I knew they were going to call on me one day… I just hoped it would happen later rather than sooner.”

“I see…” he faintly smiled. “Well, since you seem bored and reluctant to be here to begin with, dance with me.”

“I shouldn’t, but thank you for the offer,” I smiled.

“But I insist,” he smiled, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the dance floor.

“But I have to—!”

“You’re overworking yourself. Besides, I’d rather not be here, either. The atmosphere is too stiff. A dance could loosen both of us up, and maybe you could dance with Kiryuu as well since he’s glaring at us,” he smiled as he lead me in a waltz, nervous at having noticed Zero leaning against a pillar nearby.

“Isn’t dancing with me going to cause trouble for you since I’m a hunter now?”

“There’s nothing wrong with dancing with a friend.”

“Honestly I forget that you’re a vampire sometimes,” I chuckled. “You act way too much like a human.”

“We’re not much different, so I don’t see why it comes as such a shock when a human acts like one of us or we act like a human.”

“I see what you mean, but if only it was that simple,” I sighed and curtsied as the song ended. “Thank you for the dance, Ichijo-senpai.”

“Any time, Yua-san,” he smiled and I returned to my duties.

I leaned against a pillar to continue scanning for trouble but not long after I got there I heard Zero’s voice from beside me. He didn’t sound too happy but I sighed, not wanting to hear him lecture or scold me.

“You’re supposed to be on duty, not enjoying the party,” he griped.

“I didn’t want to be here to begin with and it was only a little dance to lighten both of our moods. Is that really so bad?” I snapped. “Besides, wasn’t it you who told me to find Ichijo-senpai if I got too uncomfortable?”

“I didn’t mean for you to dance with him to calm down!” he whispered harshly.

“Well it worked. There’s nothing wrong with two friends dancing, Zero. You need to lighten up. Dance with me.”

“I’ll never let my guard down around vampires,” he grumbled.

“I never said you had to. You can loosen up but still be on guard. I won’t allow you to reject me. You’re dancing whether you like it or not,” I demanded, dragging him toward the dance floor.

I placed his hand on my hip, held his other, placed my hand on his shoulder, and started leading him. He blushed and looked away before taking the lead and I smirked.

“You were just jealous, weren’t you?” I accused.

Zero dipped me low suddenly, scaring the hell out of me, and I’d exclaimed in surprise. I thought that he was going to drop me, he dipped me so low. When he pulled me back up, I glared at him for causing a scene and embarrassing me. He smirked as if saying “remember who has the power here.”

“I take that as a ‘yes,’” I growled. “You still haven’t answered my question, you know what question I’m talking about, and yes, your answer does matter. Whether you think so or not, it matters to me… I can guess the answer, though, with how jealous and childish you’re being because of a little dance.”

“Yes. Are you happy now? You know the answer but what does it change? What do you get from knowing that I like you, too?” he growled.

“Yes, I’m very happy knowing. I have peace of mind and hope. Do you feel better now? Your negativity is killing my buzz.”

“Hope for what?”

“That one day vampires and humans can coexist and live together peacefully,” I blushed, looking away from him knowing that there was a double meaning to my words.

I was talking about him and me in specific, but I couldn’t say it aloud. We were surrounded by vampires, so it would’ve been taken the wrong way and it would’ve caused too much trouble. The song ended and I curtsied to Zero with a forced smile.

“Now get back to work,” I said, choking back tears, and walked away. In my hurry to get out of his sight I ran into someone and bowed humbly, apologizing repeatedly.

“Yua, is something the matter?” Ichijo asked and I looked up at him in shock. “Why are you crying?”

“I—… I-it’s nothing,” I smiled, wiping away my tears. “Sorry I ran into you Ichijo-senpai.”

“Yua, what’s wrong?”

“This isn’t the time or place, but thank you for your concern. Really, I’ll be fine,” I sniffled, putting on my brave face. “See you around.”

The rest of the soirée was uneventful and on the way home it started snowing. I walked closely beside Zero to steal his warmth, but I was still upset about what had happened earlier.

“Yua, what’s wrong? You haven’t said anything to me since we danced and you won’t even look at me,” Zero questioned. I didn’t respond.

He took a few steps ahead of me and stopped, facing me and blocking my way. “Yua, why won’t you look at me? Why won’t you talk to me?”

I looked him straight in the face, still not saying anything. I saw the frustration rising in his eyes but I shook my head and looked away. I was cold and tired and I knew he didn’t understand just how much he meant to me.

“Zero, you really don’t understand, do you?” I sighed.

“I don’t understand what?”

“You just don’t get it. I want you to accept how I feel. I don’t care if you reciprocate. It’s not what’s important to me, though I would be elated if you did… but you don’t understand it, so how can you accept it?” I explained.

“Yua, what are you talking about?”

“I don’t just like you. I haven’t just liked you since we were children… I love you, Zero, and I’ll never give up on you no matter what happens or what you are… I can’t… Your very existence means the world to me…”

I walked around him and continued toward school while he stood there in shock. His expression was pained, having finally understood, but he wasn’t happy about it. Even if he didn’t love me back, I was okay. I just needed him to know the whole truth. He’d admitted to liking me, so there was still hope that we’d be together. That was really all I wanted: hope.


	17. Chapter 17

Since we’re gotten in so late I ended up falling asleep in class. I was absolutely exhausted but when Zero woke me up and told Yuki and me to follow him, I obeyed, still half asleep. He said something about the night class leaving for the holidays and it being our duty to see them off, but I was too tired to care. I was pretty much sleepwalking. Ichijo’s voice was the one to wake me up for the moment once we’d gotten outside.

“Hi! Thanks for your help. You’ve always got so much to do. I hope you can relax while we’re away,” he smiled. “Yua-san, are you all right? You look like you’re about to collapse.”

“I’ll be fine. Take care and enjoy your holidays,” I smiled.

“Thank you. Same goes to you. Oh, Kaname…”

Yuki took a step behind me, holding onto my arms so I glanced back at her to see that she was blushing slightly and there was a worried look on her face. Kaname handed the key to the Moon dormitory to her, so she reluctantly took it, not looking at him.

“Yuki… I know what you told me was the truth,” he smiled, so Yuki blushed brighter and her eyes snapped open and met his gaze. “Stop worrying, alright?”

I glanced between them, trying my hardest not to fall asleep standing up but I was failing miserably. My eyes were still open but they were glossed over with sleep. When I came to again a moment later, it was just Kaname, Zero, and me.

“I just want to say this. Please keep a firm grip on Yuki’s bridle particularly while I’m gone. That is all… Oh, and about the child from the society… no. Never mind. Take care,” Kaname said, and left with the others.

“Yua…” Zero called.

“I know… I look horrible. Trust me, I feel much worse…” I sighed and leaned against his arm with my eyes closed. “Zero, I’m so tired…”

“Yua, what am I going to do with you?” he sighed.

“Stay…” I smiled and that was the last thing I remembered before I fell asleep right then and there.

When I woke up I was in the infirmary and heard Maria Kurenai talking. She was talking about Shizuka Hio and how Zero’s parents had hunted the first person who had ever shown her any form of love.

“When she lost him she went berserk with grief and anger… Zero, I don’t think she regretted you killing her…” Maria explained in an almost panic.

I stood up and waited for my body and mind to readjust to the sudden change in positioning before I walked over to stand next to Zero. Headmaster and Yuki smiled at me before putting Maria back to bed, and we all started leaving.

“Wait, Zero. I want to tell you the truth…” Maria called from her cot. “There was someone behind the scenes who used the Kiryuus as pawns to hunt down Shizuka-sama’s lover… someone who wasn’t happy that she was in love with a vampire who used to be human. When Shizuka-sama regained her senses she realized who the real enemy was and tried to gain more power to destroy her enemy… Whoever did those things to her is the real enemy—the enemy of the purebloods… and of you…”

Zero closed the door and Yuki asked us if we were alright.

“I have a lot on my mind…” I mumbled, not looking at anyone as we started walking.

We passed by a window and I stopped, staring outside. It was snowing again and Yuki stood next to me. It was quiet for a while as I stared at her. She was lost to her thoughts, just as I was.

“Love is so… I’ve got the headmaster, Kaname, both of you and Yori… I’ve been so lucky… yet I still wonder if my parents abandoned me. Did they leave me in that blizzard?” she asked and noticed my expression of worry. “Sorry! Forget it. It doesn’t really bother me.’

“Liar…” I said blatantly. “I lost my parents, but I was so young that I hardly remember them… It’s scary, but I can only imagine how bad it is for you. Not only do you not remember them, but you feel like they abandoned you and left you to fend for yourself… That’s not something that you can deal with so easily…”

“Do you think my heart will grow stronger… if I become a vampire?” she asked, looking down. “Kaname asked me last night and all I could do was say ‘yes.’”

Zero and I looked at her and I sighed. So that’s what had been bothering her so much. I hugged her, staring over her head and out the window as I stroked her hair. My little sister was no longer under my care. I wondered exactly when she had slipped from my care and into Kaname’s. Had she really been mine to protect to begin with?

“I’ve wondered the same thing and I’m still without an answer… I won’t like it if you do, but I can’t stop you from doing what you feel is right or Kaname from getting what he wants… You’re his one and only dear girl, Yuki…”

“Yua,” she sniffled, hugging me back. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“I want you to be happy, too. What would make you happy?”

I was shocked and slightly taken aback. I hadn’t expected her to ask me that and I didn’t know if I could truthfully answer her. I chuckled and squeezed her a little tighter.

“I’m happy as long as you are, Yuki-chan. Thanks for worrying about me, but honestly, I’m fine,” I smiled.

“Would you be happy if you could be like Zero?” she whispered.

“I’ve thought about it, but he’d never agree to it. He’d probably hate me for even considering it.”

“But I could convince Kaname to—”

“Yuki-chan, stop. I’ll be fine. You should worry more about yourself… It’s getting late. You should go to bed. I bet Yori’s waiting to see you. Isn’t she leaving tomorrow?”

“Yeah… okay. Good night, Yua nee-chan,” she half smiled and left.

When she was gone, I leaned against the window pane, staring out at the snow as it fell. I could feel Zero’s eyes set on me, so I smiled at him.

“Thanks for carrying me to the infirmary.”

“I won’t allow you to become a vampire… ever… Even if it makes you hate me… You’re not going to sacrifice yourself to be like me…”

“I know… I just wonder what it would be like sometimes…”

“To be a vampire? To drink from your friends and other living people, destroying their lives? It’s a living hell.”

“No, not that… to be with you forever…”

“Yua…” he sighed. “We can’t…”

“We can’t? … or is it that you won’t?”

“Yua…

“It’s fine…. The timing is bad. Life is only going to get worse from here… Be prepared for anything, Zero,” I warned and walked away to go to bed.


	18. Chapter 18

The next day I went with Yuki and the headmaster to see Maria off since she was going home. Just as she was about to leave, she ran up to me and leaned into my ear like a child whispering a secret to a friend.

“Please, if Zero sees Ichiru, ask him to tell Ichiru that I want to see him… please,” she asked pleadingly, staring into my eyes with the look of a puppy dog begging for table scraps.

“Alright… I’ll be sure to tell him,” I smiled back.

“Thank you… see you.”

For the rest of the day I lazed around the headmaster’s quarters reading, eating, and napping. Occasionally the headmaster would check in on me, asking if everything was okay. I’d respond with a smile before going back to doing whatever had been occupying my time, or I’d ask if it was a crime to want to relax at home. The last time he came in he asked if I’d help him cook dinner. Not having anything else to do, I agreed. Yuki walked in, so Headmaster told her that dinner would be ready after she took her bath.

Zero had eventually wandered in, too, and it made me wonder what was taking Yuki so long. I told Zero to take my place at the stove while I walked away to check on her. He grumbled, obviously not wanting to, but I ignored him. I knocked on the bathroom door, calling Yuki’s name and asking if she was alright. There was a pause before she answered “yeah” as if she’d been startled from her thoughts, but shortly after, she screamed.

“Yuki-chan, what is it?!” I yelled, suddenly panicked.

“Uh… It was nothing… I’m getting out now…”

“Okay… you should hurry before the food gets cold.”

Just as I took a step to go back to the kitchen the door clicked open and Yuki grabbed onto my shirt with a trembling hand, asking me to stay for a while. I sighed and leaned back on the wall.

“Yuki-chan, what’s wrong? What happened?” I asked in a worried, motherly voice.

“I… I tried to remember my past… I haven’t tried for so long…” she said, gripping onto my shirt tighter.

“I see… you were abandoned in a desolate location where vampires roam rampant… If your parents were vampire hunters or connected to the Vampire Hunter Society, it makes sense…”

“But the headmaster said that there was no such incident…”

“Maybe if you looked at the Society’s records and read them yourself, you might find something new… You might remember something… What do you think?” I asked, uneasy about the whole idea but not knowing any other way.

The next day I was worried about Zero more than anything. I remembered going to the Society headquarters with the headmaster frequently when I was younger. The president had wanted to know how I was doing and whether or not Headmaster was training me properly. I usually ended up sparring with someone that the president appointed to me, my opponents getting stronger and stronger each time I visited. I hadn’t gone since Zero joined us at the academy, but I never stopped training, so I wondered what my reunion with the president would be like, fearing it at the same time. What if he assigned me to kill Zero? Would he make me spar with someone again?  What if he scolded and punished me for my lax behavior at the vampire soirée? What if he ignored me all together and focused on Zero? What would he say or do to torture him this time? My fretting thoughts were interrupted by the headmaster asking if we really wanted to go.

“If you want to turn back, do it now. I can’t recommend visiting that place,” he warned.

“Yua, Zero, listen to Headmaster. Is it okay for us to go there?” Yuki asked.

“There’s nothing for you to worry about, Yuki-chan,” I smiled. “Don’t you want to confirm things with your own eyes?”

“Yes, but…”

“Yuki-chan, Zero and I are going for personal reasons that don’t have anything to do with you so you should worry about yourself. Do what you came here to do and don’t get any more involved with this place any more than that, okay? I don’t know about Zero, though I can guess, but I can’t handle keeping you out of trouble while we’re here since I’ll probably have my own things to worry about. Do you think you can do that for me? I don’t want Kaname to hate me when he gets back.”

“This place may have answers for you…” Zero said, opening the door to the Hunters’ Society.

If I thought the tension was thick as we were walking there, it was nothing compared to how uneasy I was as soon as I stepped through the threshold. All of the hunters were staring at Zero and I glared around at all of them, meeting their gazes and daring them to say or do anything about him being there. I wasn’t surprised that most of them glared back, probably thinking me an arrogant youngster with no hunting experience. Only one person was daring enough to say something. He was a tall, middle-aged man with combed back blonde hair, a scruffy beard, as diagonal scar on his left cheek toward his nose, and cold, tired looking eyes. He was pretty muscular and an arrogant, mocking smirk played across his face, but I wasn’t intimidated by him in the least.

“Hmph. We cast a spell at the entrance to repel vampires… You were able to enter because you’ve been tamed…” he said, but I couldn’t tell if he was questioning or stating it. “I can see your mark…”

“Got a problem with it?” I snapped, glaring at him.

“Yua…” Zero and the headmaster warned from behind me, but I wasn’t backing down.

“Oh, so that brat is your master, huh? Can we trust her?”

“I wouldn’t bet on it,” I spat venomously.

“Zero, they’re meaner to you than the night class!” Yuki yelled in disbelief.

“That’s enough now. Zero and Yua are indeed our allies. Zero was born into the distinguished Kiryuu family and now has the powers of a vampire. He will grow to be a powerful ally to us. As for Yua, she is an Akanetsuki so she will be of great help as well. Of course we can trust them…”

Zero and I shot looks of disapproval at the feminine man that was the Society’s president, and the other man apologized, bowing. When he glared in suspicion at Zero and me again, the president scolded him and hit him on the head with his fan. When the man sulked away the president looked at the four of us and asked why we were there.

“Zero, Yua, you’ve grown up,” he stated, still hiding his mouth with his fan like a geisha, all modest and shy. It made me cringe in disgust.

“It’s been a while,” Zero said, looking down.

“Good afternoon, President. It has been a while, hasn’t it?” I asked with a fake smile plastered on my face, trying to keep my tone light and conversational.

“Oh my… who might this be?” the president asked, bending to Yuki’s eye level and scrutinizing her.

“This,” I paused, pulling Yuki closer to me. “…is my little sister,” I smiled, acid burning in my tone like a warning.

“We came to see the reports from ten years ago,” Zero stated.

The president paused, examining my obviously hostile stance and expression and Zero’s indifference before turning to the headmaster.

“Cross! You didn’t teach them manners…”

“Don’t let us keep you from your work if you’re not going to show us the way,” Headmaster chuckled nervously. He rested his hands on mine and Yuki’s shoulders, so I relaxed my pose but not my expression.

As the president showed us the way I heard him saying something and Yuki and Zero talking, but none of it was much more than background noise. I was still tense, glaring at the president’s back, wondering what sick things were going on in his head and what he was planning for Zero and me to ruin our visit. Just as we’d gotten to the room where all of the records were held, the president told Zero and me to follow him while Yuki and the headmaster started searching through the tomes. He paused, facing us and looking straight at me once we’d gotten out of sight and earshot of the other half of our group.

“Yua, it’s been a long time. How long has it been now? Three years? Four? I wonder if you’ve progressed any since your last visit... Perhaps another challenge should determine that,” he said, coyly and my glare turned icy. I knew he’d been planning something like that. “Terada should be a good opponent…”

As if she’d materialized out of nowhere or had been passing by when her name was called, Isuzu Terada, a tall feline-like woman with short black hair, a petite figure, and a facial expression that reminded me of Seiren—cold, merciless, fierce, and uncaring—was there and leaning against a nearby bookshelf.

“Have fun,” the president chuckled before ushering Zero away.

Before Zero was out of sight, it was impossible for me not to catch the worried glance that he’d shot at me and I softened for a moment before Terada’s annoyingly high, nasally voice snapped me back to reality and set me back on edge.

“Let’s make this quick, alright, kid?” she said, eyeing me.

“Looks like we’re on the same page. I hate your voice, so let’s cut the chit chat and cut straight to the chase, shall we?”

“Arrogant little bitch…” she grumbled and started walking away, so I followed her.

We’d reached an open courtyard with few obstacles to get in the way of our spar, but before we’d even faced off, I heard a scream from inside and instantly recognized it as Yuki’s. I took off back to the records room, yelling Yuki’s name, Terada right behind me, yelling for me to come back and face her and stop being a coward.

“Go to hell, Terada!” I hollered back and ran faster.

When I reached the records room, I was out of breath and Yuki looked back at me with wide eyes. Shortly after, Zero ran up behind me and stopped upon seeing the scene and the president glided to a halt behind him. The page in the book that Yuki had been reading was burning, so I pulled her back and away from it.

“I don’t understand… When I tried to read it, the page suddenly… It’s the page that recounts that winter ten years ago…”

“Headmaster, I that it’s time we go home…” I growled, glaring at the book.

“Hey, we still have a match to start!” Terada protested.

“It’s fine. I’ll be calling on you again soon, Yua,” the president said and my body went cold and rigid.

It was a dark promise that I knew he was going to keep and I wasn’t looking forward to it in the least. I forced a smile and faced the president, trying my damndest to look both cheerful and full of spite at the same time. My silver eyes and pearly smile were as sweet as they were icy, but the rest of my body was tense with restraint. I wanted so badly to run him through with _Natsuhiboshi_ but I couldn’t do it without having a bounty on my head.

“I’ll be looking forward to it, President,” I smiled, but as soon as I turned away the façade fell away revealing a moving statue of pure hatred.

As we walked home, nobody said anything but the tension hung like a thick fog as everyone was absorbed in their own world of intense thoughts. The only person who seemed unaffected by anything was the headmaster who stole worried glances at the rest of us. Yuki was the first to break the silence, though.

“Um… Yua-chan… How did you know the president so well?” she asked, nervous and fidgeting.

“I used to go to the Society a lot… It was a request of my parents before they passed away passed on to each of my caregivers to train me to become a hunter. It was an added requirement from the president for me to have periodical visits to the Society so he could check on my progress. Every time I went, I had to spar with someone, and as long as I beat them, the president was content that my training was going smoothly. Each opponent was tougher and stronger than the last, but I hadn’t gone in four years. He assumed that I was still training vigorously and was going to have me spar with the top female hunter of the moment, that girl who was in the room with us,” I explained.

“Why didn’t you?” Zero asked.

“Fight her? I don’t want to. The very thought of being a hunter disgusts me… Why should I have to prove to anyone that I can defeat the top female hunter when I don’t want to be a hunter to begin with?”

“You know he’s going to give you a real mission now, instead of having you spar to test you.”

“It doesn’t matter either way. The Society might as well be a bunch of vampires, too… especially the president. All he and the rest of them do is suck the life out of me and I hate them for it… all of them.”

“Yua…” the headmaster sighed.

We’d gotten back to campus, but I wasn’t tired despite it being late and I was still irritated. I wanted to blow off some steam, so I waved good-bye to everyone and made my way to the shooting range. I wanted to think and sulk and brood and imagine the targets that I was shooting at as the president. The thing that I feared about being a hunter the most was that Zero would be put on someone else’s list and I wouldn’t be able to keep my promise if he got out of hand. Zero was mine. He always had been and I’d be damned if I let someone else take him away from me.


	19. Chapter 19

I was bored and anxious so I thought that if I talked to someone about their problems instead of brooding on my own, I’d have some peace of mind even if only for a moment. I hadn’t had a heart to heart chat with Yuki in a while, so I walked to her room and knocked.

“Yuki-chan, I’m coming in,” I said, walking in before she could even respond.

“Yua-chan… uh, why don’t you sit down?” she asked, shocked.

With one look at her face, I knew exactly what she was thinking about without even having to ask as I sat down on her bed, legs crossed.

“You’re thinking about what happened yesterday… the records that burned, aren’t you?”

“Yeah…. When I tried to read them, they went up in flames before my eyes and I hallucinate when I try to remember my past… There’s… something going on. As if someone’s trying to prevent me from remembering my childhood and what happened ten years ago… Maybe someone erased my memories? …I’m not sure, but there’s something that I need to find out… from Kaname,” she explained.

It was silent between us for a while but when she noticed it and looked at me, she saw my worried expression and smiled. “Hey, why do you look so worried?”

“You don’t want me to worry about you? I can’t help it. You’re still my little sister, Yuki,” I faintly smiled as my mind finished the sentence with “for now.”

“That’s not what I meant… You keep telling me not to worry about you or Zero anymore and that something bad is coming so I should worry about myself… so I don’t want you to waste what’s left of your time worrying about me. I’m all right,” she sadly smiled back.

“Yuki-chan, almost everything that I do is so that you can be safe. I don’t care what happens to me as long as you can walk away from it. You can tell me not to worry about you, but it’s not possible for me to do that… Yuki, you and the headmaster are the only family that I have. I would kill for you, go head to head against a bunch of ravenous vampires, anything, as long as I know that you will be safe. It’s my duty as your older sister and I can’t think of anything else in the world that I would rather do than be there for you when you need me and protect you with my life. It’s your job to be spoiled and my job to spoil you… ‘kay?” I smiled.

“Yua…” she choked, burying her head in my neck and throwing her arms around my neck. “I’m so scared… Just what went on in my past?” she sobbed.

I hugged her back, stroking her hair and rocking back and forth. I hummed a lullaby to try to calm her down, trying not to break into tears with her. When she was done crying she didn’t pull away, so I continued to cradle her.

“Yua-chan, I think I want to be alone for a while… please…” she mumbled, pulling away with an apologetic smile.

I smiled back, pressed my forehead to hers for a moment, and stood up to leave. Since I’d helped Yuki get her feelings out and calmed her down there was nothing stopping me from facing my own problems, and they slowly crept back to me, bringing the fear and anxiety that I’d suppressed with them. I walked around campus aimlessly not noticing that it was snowing again, or that it was freezing cold and I wasn’t wearing a coat. I wasn’t even paying attention to where I was going. When I finally came to again, I was standing outside of the day class boys’ dorms. I stood there, staring at the sun that was painted above the door for a long while until I felt something warm drape around my shoulders and heard Zero’s voice behind me.

“What are you doing out here? Are you trying to get yourself sick?” he sighed.

I looked at him and saw that he wasn’t wearing a coat, so I looked at the thing hanging over my shoulders. It was his coat. I blushed, pulling it closer around my neck and not looking at him as I thanked him, only then realizing how cold it was. My body instantly started shivering at the realization, or maybe I’d already been shivering but hadn’t noticed. The coat smelled like Zero. There were faint traces of gunpowder and the body wash in the headmaster’s bathroom, and the rest was the indescribable clean scent that was identifiably Zero. It was still warm from his body heat and it made me want to curl up into a ball under it and fall asleep.

“Yua?” Zero called, realizing that I was lost to my thoughts again.

“It’s cold…” I mumbled, shivering uncontrollably.

He sighed as he led me inside and up to his room, sitting me down on the bed. He took his coat back and that’s when I snapped back to reality, almost having a panic attack as I reached out and grabbed onto his shirt. He looked back at me with his eyes widened in shock but his expression softened when he saw the bewildered look on my face. I blushed and looked away, loosening my grip slightly but not letting go. He removed a towel from the back of his desk chair with his free hand and draped it over my head which was covered in melted snow before he sat down beside me.

“What’s wrong?” he cooed, slowly running the towel through my hair to dry it.

“I don’t want to be a hunter… I don’t want anything to do with the Society. I just want to be me, Yua, the ever-hopeful pacifist, but I don’t have a choice!” I croaked. “I don’t want to be stained with someone else’s blood, haunted for eternity with nightmares and the fear that death is lurking around every corner… Zero, I’m afraid…” I sobbed, tightening my grip on his shirt again.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of…”

“Yes there is… What if I lose you? What if you’re put on someone else’s hit list and I can’t keep my promise to you? … Zero, you’re mine and I don’t want anyone else to take you away from me… I don’t want you to suffer anymore…” I choked and Zero stood up and knelt in front of me, holding my hand.

“Yua…” he breathed, looking me straight in the eyes.

My heart hammered in my chest as I remembered our kisses. Was he going to kiss me again?

“Wh-what?” I asked, frozen in place but attempting a smile anyway.

He leaned toward my ear and apologized before I felt his fangs on my neck. I heard them puncture the skin, feeling the dull pain that followed, and my breath quickened. I felt warm and I was beginning to get lightheaded. I didn’t know if it was because he was drinking more of my blood than usual, my desire for him was overwhelming, or a combination of the two. I gripped his shirt sleeve and moaned and after he took another gulp, I knew for sure that it was a combination.

“Zero… let me go…” I panted, feebly pushing him away, but his grip on me tightened.

I pushed him harder, so he let me go, almost tearing himself away from me, and his eyes were filled with shame and self hatred again as he wiped his mouth, staring back into mine. Tears pooled on my lower lids, but it wasn’t because I was angry or afraid. My heart was breaking for him so much more.

“Drinking your blood like this is the only way I can survive! Don’t you understand?! You’re my victim, Yua… So in return, you’ve got the right… to make me suffer. You can make me worry or drag me into danger. Do whatever you want… but it will never atone for my sins. I should be afraid of losing you… not the other way around.”

The tears broke through the dam and cascaded down my cheeks and I couldn’t stop myself. I gently held his face in my hands and pressed my lips to his, not even caring that there was still blood on his lips. When I pulled away I wrapped my arms around his neck hugging him tight and burying my face in the side of his neck.

“Zero, please don’t leave me… Don’t ever go away…” I cried.

There was a short, awkward moment as he processed what was happening before he hesitantly wrapped his arms around me, one around my waist and the other gently holding the back of my head. He leaned his head back with a sigh and it was clear to me that he was giving up on trying to push me away. And what he’d said about being afraid of losing me was the closest thing I thought I’d ever get to a love confession from him.

I didn’t want to let him go or the moment to end. He was warm and smelled good and I was afraid that if I let him go, he’d disappear. I clung to him and he clung to me. I don’t know how long we stayed in each other’s arms but it was long enough for me to fall asleep. When I woke up later that evening I was in my own bed and covered with Zero’s coat. I smiled and pulled it up to my chin, inhaling his scent before dozing back off to sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

When the headmaster called me to his office, I knew that the day had come. I was being given a mission from the Society, just like I’d feared, and there was nothing I could do about it. I walked to his office like a convicted serial killer approaching the electric chair—dead before it even happened. The only thing that pushed me forward was knowing that I would save someone’s life in taking the vampire’s.

Just like when Zero and I were ordered to monitor the soirée, the directive was written on a piece of paper and folded in half. There was a picture at the top followed by the history of the person in the picture as well as a full and thorough description of where they would most likely appear, and how I was supposed to take care of them without getting people involved. It was all sickeningly simple on paper. It was the real life that I was afraid of.

My target was a man in his mid-twenties with chocolate brown hair with gold highlights and red lowlights and emerald green eyes. He had just recently fallen to level E so he was still going to have some level of intelligence left, and to top that, he was a former martial arts teacher. I knew I had my work cut out for me.

I was walking through town toward a café that the man was said to frequent when I saw him walking out with a young woman, his arm wrapped around her shoulder. Not knowing what else to do, I ran over and tapped his shoulder to divert his attention away from the girl he was with and toward me.

“Excuse me, sir. You’re Suzuki Kazuka, right? The martial arts teacher?” I asked with an innocent smile as I tucked my hair behind my ear.

“Yes, that’s me. Why?” he smirked.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re kind of famous with the ladies who have taken your classes and they all gossip. I was just wondering if it would be possible for me to get some private lessons? I’m a really slow learner and kind of self conscious, so I’d be too embarrassed to take a class with other people,” I blushed, tilting my head down with a shy smile played across my face.

“Um, excuse me, but could you maybe, I don’t know… get lost? We’re kind of busy here,” the other girl snapped, glaring at me and clutching onto Suzuki’s arm.

“I’m sorry. Are you two on a date?” I asked him.

“Yes, we are,” she barked. “Now beat it!”

I sighed, not wanting to deal with this stupid girl.

“I asked him, not you. It must not be a very interesting date if he was so easily distracted from you, though. Is your personality really that lacking?” I snapped back.

“Excuse me?!” she shrieked.

“No, please excuse me. So about those private lessons, Kazuka-sensei. Would you do that for me? Please?”

“Walk with me to my dojo. We’ll talk business along the way,” Suzuki smiled, turning his back to the other girl and I saw the bloodlust red flash across his eyes. I cringed internally but kept up my innocent student act.

“Really?! Oh, thank you so much, Kazuka-sensei!”

The other girl huffed and stormed off having her hot date stolen right under her nose. I watched her go, silently throwing an “I just saved your life! You’re welcome!” after her. As we walked, Suzuki engaged me in small talk, trying to distract me from the fact that we were walking closer and closer to the slums. I pretended to be thoroughly engrossed in the conversation, laughing at his jokes, giggling at his obvious advances on me, and answering all of his questions, but I was actually memorizing the path that we were taking and where we were going to make the return to town that much easier on myself. When we’d reached an abandoned building he faced me with a seductive smirk and a red gleam in his eyes as he lured me in. I followed him into the building and looked around to see if there would be any way he could escape. Luckily the windows were boarded up and the only visible way out was through the door in which we came.

“So, shall we begin?” the vampire grinned evilly and charged at me, probably gone crazy with blood lust.

I quickly drew a pair of kunai from my waistband, blocking each swipe of his razor sharp claws. He laughed maniacally and tried to surprise me by switching his attacks up with kicks. Instead of letting it connect or blocking, I caught his leg and used his own forward momentum to turn and flip him over my back to slam him into the ground. On his way down, he kicked my legs from under me and I lost my balance, falling backward onto my butt. He landed once in a handstand, spun around, and pushed off of the ground, landing again with both feet planted and ready to spring at me again.

“You’re pretty good, little girl. A lot better than the last hunter they sent after me. I’m really enjoying myself!” he laughed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun playing with my food!”

He sprang at me and his speed and precision was startling. I could hardly keep up but I paid very close attention to his every move, looking for an opening in his constant barrage of attacks to use against him. He was used to close hand-to-hand combat, but I was more of a distance fighter. I didn’t know how to put the distance between us with his reckless and incessant attacks. Before I’d even realized what had happened, it was all over in a pile of ash. The adrenaline and fear that perhaps this guy was too much for me must have caused me to act unconsciously.

I examined the immediate scene more clearly having had finally come to. I was lying on the ground with _Natsuhiboshi_ loosely gripped in my hand beside me, and both the lower half of the sword and the lower halves of my legs were covered in the pile of vampire dust. My eyes widened in shock once my sense of smell picked up the metallic, coppery smell of blood. I looked around me and it was everywhere, splattered on the ground and across the walls and I knew it wasn’t safe for me to stay there. The scent would attract more vampires. I went to push myself into a sitting position but I yelled out and fell back onto the ground as an incapacitating wave of excruciating pain shot though my right arm, threatening to throw me back into unconsciousness.

I fought against it and refused to look at my arm, having a really bad feeling that the blood everywhere was mine and guessing that it was all coming from whatever was wrong with my arm. I put the kunai that was clutched in my left hand back into my waistband and attempted to carefully sheathe _Natsuhiboshi_ using only my left hand. I wasn’t careful enough. I sliced my hand open in the process.

I hurried out of the building as quickly as my pained legs would carry me. I limped along through the town, holding my arm gingerly and ignoring the prying eyes of the few people that I passed and searing pain as much as I possibly could. The streets were almost empty save for nearby bars and pubs and it was dark out, so I moved faster. It was the vampires’ time to be out and about. Another vampire attack would surely be the end of me and I was definitely not ready to leave yet.

 _‘I need to train harder…’_ I thought. _‘I don’t think being hospitalized after every mission will fare will with Yuki, the headmaster, or Zero…’_

To my relief, I hadn’t been followed or attacked on the way back to campus. Maybe I was too easy of prey to pick off for the vampires, or maybe they enjoyed watching me suffer since I was a hunter. Whatever the reason they didn’t attack, I was grateful. As soon as I got through the gate, I went as far as I could, but my body quickly gave out on me and I collapsed onto the pavement, using the last of my strength to land on my side. I wailed out in pain as my arm met the asphalt, sobbing pitifully and I lay there, panting, waiting, and fighting to stay conscious. I prayed that Zero had smelled me coming from a mile away and that he’d come looking for me with Yuki and the headmaster. Not more than thirty seconds later I heard three sets of feet running toward me and the headmaster and Yuki yelling to Zero to tell them what was going on. They sounded panicked.

My lip twitched into a grin for a fraction of a second when they stopped bickering upon seeing me on the ground and ran faster, hollering my name in terrified concern. I was relieved, glad that I could rely on Zero’s nose to pick up the scent of my blood. They’d finally reached me and someone gently rolled me onto my back.

“Yua! Yua, can you hear me?!” Headmaster called.

“Yeah…” I panted, trying to see him through the darkness that was slowly creeping in.

“What happened?”

“I don’t… I don’t know…” I mumbled, feeling numb as my conscience slowly slid from my grasp.

“Yua? Yua, stay with me,” Zero said, slightly panicked.

I grinned and sighed. His voice was so beautiful and soothing.

“Zero…” I breathed.

“I’m right here,” he said, gently holding my left hand.

“Zero, we have to get her inside. She’ll attract other vampires if she stays out here and she might be in shock,” Headmaster said.

“I don’t… want to move… I want… sleep…” I protested, trying to sound irritated.

“No, Yua, you can’t sleep yet. You’ve got to stay with me…” Zero cooed, the panic still in his voice.

“Yuki, you stay here and help Zero. I’m going to call for help. Zero, keep her talking,” Headmaster ordered.

I felt numb and heavy as Zero gently picked me up with help from Yuki, but when she moved my right arm my eyes clenched shut and I screamed a stream of profanities, burying my face into Zero’s chest and bawling. My body was no longer numb. It was still heavy, but it wasn’t numb anymore. Instead, it felt like every single nerve in my body was exposed and screaming to each other in protest at even the slightest movement.

“Yua-chan, how much does your arm hurt on a scale of one to ten with one being no pain?” Yuki asked.

“Nine point five…”

“Okay. Does anything else hurt really bad?”

“My leg…”

“What’s your leg at?” she asked. I didn’t respond. I was so tired. “Yua, how much does your leg hurt?”

“Seven point five…” I responded, and then there was nothing. The world went black.


	21. Chapter 21

I don’t know how long I was in and out of consciousness, but every time I woke up it seemed like I was in a different place or there were different people, some voices I knew and others that I didn’t who always seemed to be talking about me. Eventually when I started waking up, I was up for longer and longer periods of time, but not long enough to hold conversations with anyone. The time that I was up for a long time and actually did have a conversation with someone, I was with a doctor and they said that I’d be free to move around in a couple days. I’d looked around and recognized the room I was in as the infirmary at school but the times that I was awake before that were blurs of moments that may or may not have actually happened.

I woke up again late one night and I looked around. I was dressed in a night gown and laying on a cot in the infirmary and I felt completely fine. I sat up and it felt like there was something tugging at the skin on my leg so when I looked at it, I found a patch of gauze taped over it. I assumed that I’d had stitches there. If there were stitches on my leg, I was terrified to know what state my arm was in since it had been worse than my leg. I just knew that I couldn’t move it at all. There were stitches in my left hand, too, but those didn’t hurt very much because they were wrapped tightly in gauze making my hand practically immobile.

“Oh good, you’re awake. How are you feeling?” I heard Headmaster ask and looked at him as he came in through the door.

“How long have I been out?” I asked in turn.

“About a week. You’d lost a lot of blood and were in and out of shock because of the pain so the doctors gave you strong sedatives. We were afraid that we’d lose you a few times...”

“Does the Society know about my mission and what happened to me?”

“Yes, the Society was informed,” he sighed.

“What did they say? What’s going to happen to me?”

“Stop asking about the Society, Yua. It’s not important.”

“Damn it… I knew it. I need to train harder.”

“No you don’t. They gave you an extremely unfair challenge. Yua, you almost died! Not even Zero’s first mission was that hard. The fact that you managed to kill him and live through it is saying enough about your skill,” he growled.

“… Headmaster… I don’t know how I killed him… I remember how I got the cut on my hand, but it was after he was already dead… I… I remember being afraid… and thinking that I was going to die… I don’t remember drawing _Natsuhiboshi_ or how I lost so much blood… I blacked out… I think it was just a lucky hit…”

“It doesn’t matter. He’s dead, your mission was completed, and you’re still alive. The Society was in the wrong to begin with. I’m just glad you’re okay,” he smiled.

“So what happened to me?”

“Well, because of the extent of your damage and the situation of how you’d become damaged, we couldn’t take you to a regular hospital because we wouldn’t have been able to explain it without letting on that vampires exist, so we called one of the Society’s doctors to come fix you. We didn’t have everything they needed here, so we got you stabilized and transferred you to the Society’s facilities where they could take better care of you. You had eight stitches sewn into your leg and five in your hand, but your arm was… well… difficult. Your radius was broken in three different places and you had an inch deep gash from just below your shoulder joint to your wrist. It took about a hundred stitches to close it up.”

I got queasy just imagining it as he described the damage I’d taken. I laid back on my pillows with my eyes closed suddenly in a cold sweat and nauseous.

“Okay, okay, no more… just… It’s not going to fall off is it? And it’s covered? I can’t see anything that was wrong with it? At all?”

“Take a look for yourself,” he chuckled.

“I’d rather not after hearing all of that… Where are Yuki and Zero?”

“Probably asleep by now. It’s sometime around midnight.”

“Okay… Well I’m gonna go for a walk. I’m not tired and I feel really stiff.”

“Alright… be careful, please. And no taking baths. You can’t get your stitches wet.”

“Damn it…” I sighed as I slid my legs over the edge of the cot and stretched, flexing my stiff muscles. “Is there anything else I should know?”

“You have prescription pain killers if your arm hurts too much. They’re in the medicine cabinet in my bathroom.”

I nodded in understanding and yawned. It felt like an eternity had passed since I’d walked. The stitches in my leg tugged and I winced but I ignored it and continued on, walking around in my night gown and slippers with a slight limp. Just like my night before the mission, I was wandering, not noticing or caring where I was going or where I ended up. I was just smart and conscious enough not to go outside this time. I passed by the Headmaster’s quarters and noticed that the door was slightly cracked and the light was on. I heard voices from inside and got curious as to who it could have been so late since Yuki and Zero were asleep and everyone else was at home for the holidays still.

“I thought you’d be asleep by now. Is something bothering you?” Headmaster asked.

There was a long pause until a male replied, “Not really…” It was Zero and he sounded exhausted.

“Is it about Yua? She asked where you were earlier and—”

“She was awake?” Zero asked, cutting him off, so I smiled, noting how anxious he sounded.

“She probably still is. She’s wandering around campus somewhere. She was feeling restless.”

“When did she wake up? How long ago?”

“About an hour or so. Why?”

“And you just let her get up and walk off?! What if she passed out somewhere or she broke her stitches?” Zero growled and I heard him rushing to get up from the couch and stomping toward the door.

I reached out and opened the door, smiling when I saw Zero standing there in shock, his hand extended to grip the door knob. I chuckled, taking hold of his outstretched hand as I walked in, smiling to the headmaster on my way toward the kitchen.

“Well, seeing as you’re okay and Zero is now with you, I can stop worrying and go to bed. Good night, Yua, Zero,” Headmaster smiled.

“Night,” I called back.

As I was boiling water for tea and standing on tiptoe to reach to the back of the cabinet for my snacks, I felt Zero’s stare on my back. Before I could even touch a can Zero had his arm around my waist, pulling me down like a four year old caught trying to steal cookies from the cookie jar on the top shelf.

“I’ll get it,” he mumbled.

“I can get my snacks on my own, thank you very much,” I pouted.

“Please… just humor me…”

I could hear the agony in his voice so I sighed in defeat, not wanting to be argumentative for the sake of being argumentative. Instead of getting my junk food he started pulling ingredients out for a meal so I grumbled and became surly again.

“Put it all back. I don’t want food. I want my pandas.”

“Too bad. You haven’t had a real meal in a week. If you keep it up—…” he started but trailed off, not liking the way the thought was going.

I sighed and wrapped my good arm around his waist and leaning my head against his shoulder. I felt him tense up for a second but it didn’t last long. He sighed and wrapped his arm around me as he continued to get the things ready to cook for me and I noticed that he was blushing.

“Okay, what’s this all of a sudden and why are you blushing?” I demanded.

He was quiet for a while, pausing and not answering, but blushing brighter. He didn’t look like he was going to answer at all so I glared at him and went to pull away. His grip on me slightly tightened, preventing me from going anywhere and I stared at him for a moment, trying to read his expression. His face was a kaleidoscope of emotions, the only ones of which I could pinpoint were fear, worry, and agony. I squeezed myself between him and the counter, cupping his cheek as best I could with the gauze around my palm and demanding his attention.

“Zero, what’s wrong?”

“I—… I thought I was going to lose you…” he mumbled. “If it wasn’t going to be because of that vampire, it was going to be because of me… There was so much blood…” he shuddered and went quiet again.

“Zero? … Zero, come back to me. I’m still here. I’m not going anywhere…” I cooed.

“Does it hurt?” He nodded to my arm.

“Not really, but I’d rather not look at or think about it… I’m afraid it won’t be there like a phantom limb or something…”

He weakly smiled, holding my hand gently to his face and kissing my wrist while I blushed and looked down. Zero chuckled once, letting my hand go so I looked up at him and found myself staring as he stared back only a few inches from my face. My breath caught, my heart raced, and my mind fogged up. His face was composed except for the slightest turning up of the corner of his mouth in a smirk.

“What are you thinking about?” I asked.

“Of all the things you could possibly worry about or be afraid of, you choose to worry about your arm not being there… It doesn’t bother you that I just confessed to wanting to kill you? Or that it wasn’t a onetime occurrence?”

“No because I know you won’t hurt me. You’re too afraid of me not being here.”

“If I was a level E that wouldn’t matter.’

“But you’re not.”

“Yet…” he countered.

“And I already promised that I’d take care of you when it got to that point, so what is there for you to worry about? Quit moping because you’re stuck with me ‘til the end whether you like it or not.”

“There’s something seriously wrong with you…” he sighed, closing his eyes and bending his head down to press his forehead to mine.

“Says the one who can’t admit to his own feelings,” I retorted, playing with his hair. “Are you going to cook something or do I have to help you put all this away and starve for another day?”

He opened his eyes, staring into mine for a moment before he gently tilted my head up by my chin and kissed me.

“Will you go sit down so I can cook for you?”

I blushed but moved anyway, too shocked and hungry to object. I watched him cook an omelet and sausage for me and when he’d made my plate and set it in front of me, my mouth instantly started watering. I hadn’t realized how hungry I really was until the food was directly in front of me. It took some time for me to get used to eating left handed and there were times that I got really frustrated, but it was worth it. Zero washed the dishes that we’d used and when he was done, he grabbed my hand and we wandered around the building. He walked slowly because of my limp and I loved him so much more because of it. I leaned on his shoulder, smiling and wishing the night would never end.


	22. Chapter 22

The holidays ended and with them, so had my long days and nights of happiness holding Zero’s hand and talking and walking around campus. It was all because Kaname was back. His presence exuded danger like the flashing red light of a fire alarm—loud, bright, and unavoidable.

Yuki, Zero and I stood at the gates to welcome the majority of the night class back. Shiki and Ichijo had called to say that they’d be late getting back because of family issues a couple days before everyone else started getting back. I stood there, my right arm still in a sling as I watched the vampires indifferently. When Kaname walked in, he gave Yuki a rare rose that only bloomed once every ten years that was encased in resin to preserve it, and I was surprised when he called my name.

“A present for you, as well,” he smiled, so I held my left hand out to receive it.

It was two roses growing on a single stem, one black, and one red, and I looked at him in confusion. Why would he give me roses?

“To represent your clashing emotions about everything in your life… like the love-hate relationship you and I share or your thoughts of yourself, Yuki, or Zero or vampires and hunters,” he explained.

“Thanks…” I grumbled and tucked the roses into my jacket pocket before holding Zero’s hand again.

“Would you have preferred a leash and collar for your silver dog?”

“That’s enough,” I glared, holding onto Zero’s hand tighter.

“What happened?” he questioned, nodding to my arm.

“The Society gave me an unfair mission that ended badly…”

“How unfortunate…” he breathed, contemplating something for a moment before he smiled and held something up to Zero.

Zero looked at him as if asking “What the hell is that?”

“Kiryuu, this is for you.”

“I don’t want it,” Zero stated.

“It’s a cursed life-size doll that’s been passed down since ancient times. I got it specially for you,” Kaname said with a taunting expression.

Zero took the ugly doll and stomped on it before giving it back with an icy smile of relief and hatred. Before things could get any more tense between the three of us, Yuki jumped in and asked Kaname if she could speak to him privately later that night in the school building.

“What is it? A love confession?” Kaname asked.

She blushed and stammered before running after the others, giving the excuse that she needed to do roll call to avoid answering his question. Zero, Kaname and I watched her run off, knowing that she was pretending that everything was all right.

“Yuki is putting on a cheerful front. During my absence… No… this isn’t the place to discuss it…” Kaname started, staring off into space with distant eyes.

Over the years of knowing Kaname, I’d learned to read his seemingly emotionless expressions, and I could tell that he was both worried and contemplating something. Zero and I walked to the headmaster’s office and I waited for Zero outside. Ever since I’d woken up, he’d kind of been like a guard dog around me. He never let me out of his sight unless he absolutely had to and worried constantly if I was in pain or if something was bothering me. I didn’t mind, though. It was more attention than he’d given to me before and I reveled in it. When I heard breaking glass and the headmaster yell out in pain, I sighed. He was so clumsy sometimes, and really childish more often than not. So much for him being a father figure. Zero’s voice right behind the door caught me off guard for a moment. I hadn’t realized he’d been leaving.

“But… you do know that I’m still drinking Yua’s blood…” he said, but I couldn’t hear the headmaster’s reply. It was a while before Zero continued; “Retain my sanity? … At the Society’s headquarters the president told me a way that could delay the insanity…” There was another pause as the headmaster replied. “Don’t you already know? Don’t you already know Yuki’s past, too?”

“Huh?! What?! Why are you suspicious of me?!” Headmaster yelled and I chuckled.

“But right now, Yuki is suspicious of him… All right… Please be careful and don’t hurt yourself anymore,” Zero said, opening the door.

“W-Wait. There’s something important I want to tell you. A new student wants to enter the day class. I don’t want to accept him into the academy unless I have your permission…”

I knew there was only one person the headmaster would ask Zero’s permission to accept: Ichiru. When Zero told the headmaster that it was fine, I wondered why he’d agree to it after what had happened the last time Ichiru was at the academy. I didn’t ask or say anything about it when Zero walked out, though. I just smiled and took his hand before we started walking again. As we turned a corner we saw Yuki sitting on the floor, her head bent. I let go of Zero’s hand and knelt in front of her, worried.

“Yuki-chan, are you okay? What happened?” I cooed. “Did you ask him?”

She glanced up at me and then Zero, her eyes full of sadness and looked away again, shaking her head “no.”

“I just… couldn’t… I—,” she started but was sidetracked. “Zero? What’s wrong? Your eyes are the color of blood.”

“I’m fine. It’s nothing,” Zero responded.

“Yuki, you don’t have to rush things. You’ll be able to ask him eventually… right?” I smiled.

She smiled back and nodded. “I think I’m going to go to bed. Don’t stay up too late now, okay? The holidays are over and we have school in the morning.”

“I’ll try. Good night, Yuki-chan.”

She waved to the two of us as she walked away and as soon as she was out of sight, my smile turned to a scowl and I glared out the window. Kaname knew. Of course he knew. He knew what she wanted to ask and what the answer was, but despite the pain it was causing her, he wouldn’t tell her. I was trusting him with my little sister— trusting him to make her happy— but he went and kept secrets from her instead? I wouldn’t forgive him if he hurt her again, but I wasn’t going to let him off the hook this time, either.

I started walking to the Moon dorm with Zero following behind me. When we got outside, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly to compose myself before I opened the door. Kaname was at the top of the stairs glaring down at us—or was he just glaring at Zero?

“Yua, you’re not happy with me…” he said in a voice that almost sounded hurt.

“Should I be?” I asked with acid in my voice, though my face was still polite and composed. “You know what Yuki wants to ask you but you won’t answer her even though you know that not knowing upsets her…”

“Kain, Seiren. Go back to your rooms,” Kaname ordered, so they left. “I wondered why you came bearing malice. Usually it’s not so strong… but we shouldn’t talk here. Come to my room… That is, if you don’t mind entering the head vampire’s room. It’s quite gutsy of you to come here in your current situation, Yua.”

“How so? Nobody would defy you by hurting me unless they had good reason to. If I came with the intent to kill you, that’d be reason enough, but that’s not why I’m here and you know it. I may hate you, but not enough to hurt Yuki,” I explained as we followed him into his room.

“Then why are you here? I’m sure you probably already know that I won’t answer your questions. You don’t need to know quite yet.”

“That’s exactly what I hate about you the most, Kaname,” I growled. “You use anyone and everyone to get what you want, not caring who gets hurt in the process. I told you before that I’m on your side for the most part, and I meant it. I’ll be one of your pawns. I’ll go along with whatever you dish out without question or complaint for one reason and one reason only: If I help you get what you want, I get what I want, too.

“However, if you continue to hurt Yuki—if you fail to make her happy when this is all over—I will never forgive you. Yuki may be your ‘precious girl,’ Kaname, but she’s my little sister above all else. I will hunt you until I take my last breath, and haunt you from beyond the grave if you’re not dead before I am if you don’t keep your end of the bargain. I promise you that.”

“Those are strong words, Yua… considering that the only reason you are so willing to give Yuki back to me is so that you can have the room in your heart to carry a heavier burden…” Kaname stated, his eyes darting to Zero for a fraction of a second.

“I’m willing to sacrifice that room should you mess up badly enough…”

“Are you? …Kiryuu, you came here with the intent to get something off of your chest as well… Am I correct?”

“Did you erase Yuki’s memories or not? Do you have something to do with her past or not? Why won’t you answer? Or do you want to keep her in fear?” Zero glared.

“So… Shall I destroy one of Yuki’s fears right now?” Kaname glared back.

In what seemed like a flash, Kaname darted across the room, clasping onto Zero’s neck, pushing him into the wall so hard that the wall started to fall apart and in the same instant, Zero had _Bloody Rose_ pointed under Kaname’s jaw. The look in their eyes showed obvious murderous intent, but Kaname bent his head a bit, breaking eye contact. Neither one let their guard slip even a tiny bit.

“Do it… I can probably shoot at the same time,” Zero said, and I gasped.

Kaname’s grip tightened around Zero’s neck as he pushed him further into the wall, but Zero’s hand and glare never faltered. I watched, wide-eyed and helpless. This was a fight way out of my league between an elite and a lower ranked vampire and a vampire and a hunter all in one. I had no right or will to get in the way. I was somewhat neutral… for now…

“Look at you… Vampires should fear and respect purebloods by instinct… but you bare your fangs without reserve…” Kaname glared into Zero’s eyes, his face not more than four or five inches from Zero’s. “I really do hate you…”

Kaname pushed Zero the rest of the way through the wall into a bathroom and I screamed as Zero shot at him. Zero had landed on the bathtub, breaking a chunk from it and cracking the area around him and Kaname stood over him, his hand still locked in a vice grip on Zero’s neck. There was smoke coming from the barrel of the gun that was now pointed at Kaname’s forehead. I looked around at the scenery, taking it in. The whole area was a mess of rubble and broken glass and plaster. It looked like a small bomb had exploded.

“Many times I’ve considered killing you with one blow… but releasing you from your suffering won’t do,” Kaname said.

“Tell me, are all purebloods obsessive?” Zero retorted.

“You have no intention of killing me… and if I kill you needlessly, Yuki and Yua will grieve and Yua will hold a grudge,” Kaname explained, blood dripping from his head onto Zero’s cheek.

 _‘Got that right,’_ I growled internally.

Kaname huffed before continuing: “… But your body is honest. You see blood. I can see the lust in your eyes… There are puncture wounds on Yuki’s neck that haven’t healed… Kiryuu… has your hunger increased?”

Kaname’s nails dug into Zero’s skin and he tore them away, ripping Zero’s throat open. Zero’s blood splashed against the tile and I gasped in horror, covering my mouth and tears welled in my eyes spilling over their lids in silence. Never mind that Zero had bitten Yuki. Yeah, it was bad, but she was alive and relatively well. It had been in the past so there was nothing that could be done about it at that point. I assumed that it had happened while I was unconscious, but it didn’t matter to me when or how or even why it happened. What mattered was that Zero was hurt and bleeding and it was Kaname’s fault and yet I was helpless to do anything about it.

“How can you protect anyone when you’re in this state?” Kaname spat.

“I should’ve shot you in the hand first,” Zero retorted.

“You should do it now, then… before the hunger robs you of all reason… Listen, Zero…” Kaname said, grabbing Zero’s arm and preventing him from shooting at him again as he leaned toward Zero’s ear. “Take my blood.”

Zero’s eyes widened in shock before narrowing into a glare again. “You must be joking…”

“You think I’m joking? The blood of Kuran that flows through my body will prolong your life. The shadows of madness will recede… I cannot have you die now. I’ve allowed you to live so that you can serve Yuki, just like I had with Yua… I know that neither of you will betray Yuki…”

I grit my teeth and glared daggers at Kaname. I knew he’d been using me from the very beginning!

“You’re assuming things… as usual,” Zero snapped.

“Oh, but I know… because our feelings for Yuki are very similar,” Kaname explained.

“I—… I only want Yuki to smile from the bottom of her heart…”

“Me, too.”

“… because she deserves it…”

“Exactly…”

My heart ached. I felt the exact same. It was so strange having someone voice my feelings for Yuki but be talking about their self, especially Zero. I loved her… and so did he. Hearing him speak so tenderly about another girl, especially Yuki made me jealous. I knew it shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t help it. Did he ever speak to other people about me that way? Would he ever be able to say something that sweet about me to my face? Would I ever really know how he felt about me?

Zero grabbed Kaname’s shirt, pulling him closer and craned his neck to meet his lips to Kaname’s neck. Even from where I stood at the hole in the wall all the way across the room, I could still hear Zero greedily gulping Kaname’s blood. I wanted to faint or wretch, but I fought it off.

“Don’t ever forget for whom this blood was offered…” Kaname demanded. “Zero, no one hates vampires more than you… yet you need more blood than any vampire… I think you’re the most vampire-like of us all…”

It was a while before Zero pulled away from Kaname. He slumped against the wall, panting while Kaname pulled up a chair and watched him with his arms and legs crossed, his chin resting on his fist. He was still bleeding from his head and the puncture wounds on his neck, but Zero’s wounds had healed.

“The spot where your bullet grazed me still hurts… This is why I hate vampire hunters’ weapons. The wounds where you bit me aren’t healing right away. You pierced me without reserve and it pisses me off…” Kaname sulked.

Zero clamped his teeth shut. His glare worsened and he punched the wall, the tile breaking from his elbow to his wrist where his arm made contact. I jumped in surprise, torn from my confused mind that was still trying to decide whether or not everything had actually happened or if I was perhaps in a nightmare.

“I’m the one who’s pissed off! All you had to do was put up with it,” Zero barked.

“I see you’ve regained your sanity. Did it feel that disgusting having my blood blend with yours? You were so violent I had trouble dealing with you.”

“You should experience it yourself. Your blood is poison…”

“The Kuran line is thick with the blood of the vampire progenitor. It works as a medicine to delay you from falling to level E… My entire dorm is now in chaos because of this. They can smell my blood. I recommend you leave from the window, although they’ll find out eventually anyway… but you’re prepared for that, aren’t you?” Kaname said as Zero and I prepared to leave. “Oh, and… I refuse to answer Yuki’s questions for her sake… And Yua, I’m sorry you had to see all of this…”

Zero and I left through the window in silence. Neither of us said anything. We wouldn’t even look at each other or reach for the other’s hand. My mind was reeling, replaying the entire bloody visit over and over again.

“Yua…” Zero started, still not looking at me as I started from my thoughts and looked at him. “I’m sorry…”

“Why are you apologizing?” I asked, shocked.

“You shouldn’t have seen that… and what I said to Kaname about Yuki… You probably got the wrong idea… And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I bit her…”

“Zero, I don’t care about any of that. I stayed because I wanted to… I couldn’t just leave you… And I didn’t get any wrong ideas. I know that you love Yuki. I love her too… You don’t need to apologize for anything. I’m just glad that you’re okay,” I blushed.

“What’s wrong? Something’s bothering you…”

“I’m a horrible person…”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I am… Kaname’s right. I’m selfish. I’m not sure I can put Yuki’s happiness before my own anymore… I don’t trust myself to protect her like I used to…”

“Why not?”

“She’s not the one that I want to comfort and protect with my life anymore. I don’t know when or how it happened, but I made the decision that I was going to give her to Kaname no matter what… I’m so selfish…”

“You’re not making any sense, Yua.”

“Yes I am. You just don’t understand it yet,” I faintly smiled, holding his hand and leaning on his shoulder.

“You know, sometimes I wish I knew what you were thinking… maybe it’d help me understand you better…” he sighed.

“I’m glad you can’t… I’m afraid you’d hate me if you knew some of the things I think about…”

“I could never hate you,” he replied, stopping and facing me, gently holding my face in his hand.

Tears welled in my eyes. I didn’t deserve his kindness. I didn’t deserve him but I couldn’t stop myself from wanting him all to myself. I was tainting him with my wickedness, all just so I could keep him. I held his warm, soft, bloodstained hand to my cheek as the tears kept coming.

“Yua, what is it?” he asked, slightly worried.

I shook my head “no” and buried my face in his chest, wrapping my arm around him and holding him as tight as my one good arm would allow me and crying silently. I wanted him to push me away in repulsion and say he never wanted to see me again because I was a monster worse than the vampires. I wanted him to hate me so I could cry, agree that I was the lowest of the low and beg on my hands and knees for him to forgive me and not leave me. His hatred was what I deserved, not his kindness.

“Yua?”

“I’m sorry… It’s nothing…” I sniffled, pulling away and wiping my face on my sleeve. “Come on. You should get cleaned up before someone sees you like this.”

“Yua, what’s wrong? Please tell me. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No… I’m just really upset with myself. It’s nothing for you to worry about… It’s all me…”

They say that love can make you do some crazy things… but what sort of crazy things was I willing to do for the one I loved? The answer was simple but horrifying: anything.


	23. Chapter 23

The next day I wasn’t feeling well enough about myself to go to my first class and I knew if I did, I’d see Yuki and Ichiru. It was too much. I already had too much to think about. Anything else and my psyche would shatter. I’d go insane.

Once I knew that first period was over, I finally gathered enough strength to get out of bed and head to class. I was so zoned out that I didn’t realize that I’d walked straight into the middle of a tense conversation between Zero and Ichiru with Yuki watching from behind Zero, a worried expression dominating her features. Great. It was all three of the people that I was trying to avoid for a while in one hallway. Luckily the conversation had just ended.

“Yua…” Yuki called when she noticed me.

I walked past her in a zombie-like trance and just as I’d gotten to Zero, I felt her grab a chunk of my hair and pull. Zero and I both yelled out so I guessed that she’d pulled his, too.

“What are you doing?!” Zero yelled.

“That hurt!” I growled. “You pulled it out!”

“What did we do?!”

“Oh, sorry,” she chuckled nervously. Her expression quickly changed back to one of worry as she examined us, placing her hands on our foreheads.

“You’re awfully grabby today,” Zero sighed. “Let’s get back.”

“Will you be okay? You two will be in the same class,” Yuki inquired as we all started walking to class.

“Yeah. I was supposed to tell you last night that Ichiru was transferring here. Sorry for surprising you.”

“You let Ichiru transfer here? You want to talk to him… right?” She ran a few steps in front of us and bowed with her hands clasped together. “I know this is a bad time but I need a favor! Please come to the Moon dormitory with me! I need to ask Kaname something. I’ll ask him directly this time… so make sure I don’t run away. If I don’t face my past, I can’t move forward, either. Please?” she begged.

“Don’t frown,” Zero said. “I’ll do it… just stop frowning.”

“Yua?” she pleaded.

“Yeah… I’ll go…” I sighed, looking away.

“Thank you so much.”

“Are you sure you want to?” Zero asked.

“No… but I will anyway. I guess you could say that I’ve become masochistic.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to…” Yuki pouted.

“Yes I do… Both of you, please stop trying to make me feel better. You’re only making it worse.”

I started walking away but I heard Yuki ask Zero what was wrong with me. It wasn’t long into class when Zero tapped my shoulder and told me to follow him. I sighed and waved him off, but he was persistent so I unwillingly got up and followed him to the garden. I sulked onto the ground under a tree while Zero stayed standing.

“Yua, what’s bothering you so much?” he asked.

“Myself.”

“That’s not a good enough answer.”

“What do you want me to say, Zero? That everything’s fine?”

“No, I want you to talk to me. Tell me everything that’s on your mind. The more you keep it in, the more depressed you’re going to get.”

“Like you’re one to lecture me about keeping depressing secrets, Zero,” I snapped.

“That’s exactly why I don’t want you to keep it in. I know what it’s like.”

“You hate yourself for what you are, not for who you are, Zero. There’s a big difference. I’m spoiled. I’m rotten. I’m wicked! I’m selfish! I’m a horrible monster of a person because I’m just like Kaname! I’m willing to do whatever it takes—anything—to get what I want and I hate myself for it!” I hollered, pulling my hair and sobbing into my knees. “I’m willing to give my little sister to a freaking vampire like she’s a god damned Christmas present just so I can have one less thing to worry about and take care of! You should hate me! I wish you would hate me because I deserve it and I know it!” I shrieked.

“Yua, listen to me,” Zero sighed kneeling in front of me.

“No, Zero, you listen…” I sniffed, looking up at him and tenderly holding his face. “There is nothing in this world that I want more than you.”

“You already have me.”

“I don’t have all of you. Zero, I love you more than life itself. I want you to smile from the bottom of your heart and be happy like you were the first time I met you before all of this vampire nonsense happened. I want you to laugh and smile and have fun and do everything you want to do without having to worry about getting another directive from the Society or being attacked by vampires ever again, and I want to be with you through all of it. I want to be your everything like you are mine, and I’m willing to do anything, and I mean anything, to have that come true. Zero, I really don’t deserve you… at all… but that doesn’t stop me from wanting you…”

“Yua, you’re a fool…” he sighed, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me to his chest. “I’ve already told you. I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you… Don’t ever forget that.”

“Zero, you idiot…” I hugged him back, crying into his chest while he stroked my hair.

We stayed like that for a while, even after I’d calmed down. I was emotionally exhausted and I didn’t want to move or get up. I could’ve stayed there forever but it was starting to get dark and we had to help Yuki escort the night class.

“Yua…”

“I know... just… don’t let go… I want to stay like this for just a little while longer…”

He held onto me a little tighter and kissed the top of my head for a moment before I sighed and slowly pulled away. He stood and offered his hand to help me up. When I took it, he gently wiped my tearstained cheeks.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

I nodded and we walked to meet up with Yuki. I didn’t even have to try to stave any of the day class off from the night class. They were too afraid to even come near me. I figured that I probably looked like hell since I had a cast on one arm, I was sleep deprived, and my eyes were red and puffy from crying. I really didn’t care, though.

“Yua, are you feeling all right?” Kaname asked, worried, as they passed by me. “You look like the undead.”

“I’m just really tired. I haven’t been sleeping well lately,” I lied.

“Try not to overwork yourself too much.”

“Thanks. I’ll try,” I muttered.

As he was walking past Yuki he paused and whispered something in her ear causing his fan girls to give her a hard time about it. Zero and I found her on the roof later on and she looked lost in thought. The moon was full and the night was chilly but I felt cold to the bone because of recent events, not the weather.

“Tonight… This time I’ll ask Kaname about what happened ten years ago,” she said, staring off into the distance in the direction of town. She looked back at us, though, as if sensing that something was wrong. “What is it?”

“I wondered if he had something to do with your lost memories. You’ll be alright?” Zero asked, concerned, so she smiled.

“For ten years I’ve known Kaname and I’ve always felt that I wouldn’t mind if he betrayed me… but I was also afraid to ask him about it and it took me a long time to gather my courage. I know I’ve often taken the moral high ground and lectured you a lot, Zero… but I really like Kaname. I’ve liked him for ten years…”

“What brought all this on?”

“I love him… If I start thinking about him, he’s all I think about if I’m not careful. I almost lose myself… Kaname can be a little scary sometimes, but he’s actually very kind. Every once in a while I’ll see him smile in that lonely way… When I was little, I didn’t understand but I got worried in my own way… but then he would smile tenderly at me as always… Now I understand that smile so much that it hurts. No matter how difficult the situation, he always thought of me first… He’s like that…”

As she was talking, I could see the sadness and understanding in her expressions, but more than that, I saw love. It was the unconditional love that she had for Kaname. It was the same kind of love that I had for Zero. I smiled faintly, feeling sorry for her. For anyone to love a former human was bad… but for a human to love a pureblood was worse. It was bound to fail or end horribly. It was inevitable. It would be just like what happened to Shizuka Hio, but with the roles reversed.

“I should get going. I already know that he’s hiding something from me,” Yuki announced as she stood up, determination dominating her features.

I held Zero’s hand for comfort since I was already uneasy about the whole situation. I was afraid of what might happen, but we followed her to be her support as she talked to Kaname, anyway. We met the night class just as they were leaving to go back to their dorms since classes had just ended for them. Kaname asked the others to go on without him and Zero and I leaned against the wall, me avoiding Kaname’s eye by hiding behind Zero.

“Well, Yuki?” Kaname inquired.

“I’m sorry for talking to you here, Kaname…”

“It’s fine, but you are cruel. You know my feelings yet you brought Kiryuu with you.”

“He and Yua came as a favor to me. I asked them to come with me so you wouldn’t evade me, Kaname,” she blushed.

“Ah… like you did when I told you that I love you?”

“…um… yes.”

“But those are my true feelings. You find my love repulsive?”

“Of course not! I’ve never felt that way! I’ve always loved you. I love you now… I have absolutely no reason to avoid you… even if you were the same vampire who tried to devour me back then… Because you were there, Kaname-sama, I—”

“Yuki…” Zero and I interrupted her confession to get her back on topic of what she really wanted to talk to him about.

“As I grew up, questions arose in my mind. Why me? I can see the situation clearly now. No matter how hard I try to reach beyond my situation, I’m not suitable for you… Kaname… you have something to do with my forgotten past…”

The two of them stared at each other for a moment and Kaname smiled to answer her statement. His eyes looked gloomy and it hurt me to see him looking at her like that. Why was what he was hiding making him look so sad and lonely? What did it have to do with Yuki? Was it really okay for me to be giving her to him if he always looked like that when he looked at her?

“So it is true! Then why won’t you tell me the truth?! Please tell me! I have to know!” she yelled, grabbing the front of his jacket and bending her head into his chest. “I don’t want you to use the bond between us to avoid the issue. I want to know everything and grow strong! … please…”

“So reckless… Let things remain like this. Be happy in this sandbox for a while longer… okay? The truth you seek might be covered with blood… Even then, would you still want to know?” he cooed, lovingly holding her face.

“Alright, Kaname…”

Kaname sighed and looked away, closing his eyes before he continued; “I… I’ve been afraid… wondering if the only one who gives me warmth will hate me when she finds out the truth…”

“I will never hate you…” Yuki blushed, holding his hand to her cheek.

“Then prove it to me. Be my lover.”

I squeezed Zero’s hand, ignoring the tightening of the gauze and the tearing feeling of the stitches breaking, trying not to lose my temper. I’d known that it was inevitable but the thought of my little sister belonging to that man any more than she already did was disgusting. I hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.

“Kaname… No! Let me go! You think I’ll back down if you say that! Let me go! Stop dodging the issue!” she yelled, struggling to get away and I grit my teeth, balling my other hand into as tight a fist as I could manage, ignoring that pain as well. Zero whispered my name, worry sliding into his voice.

“Yuki, if you prove it to me, I promise I’ll tell you. You faced me honestly, so I’m being honest, too.”

“You’re lying…”

“I’m not. Yuki, if you want to know the truth, hear what I’m saying.”

Yuki lowered her arm in defeat, sending me to the very edge. If I stayed for even a second longer, I would have completely lost myself in a rage, so I let Zero’s hand go and started walking away in a fit.

“Yua…” Kaname called and I paused, not looking at him. I was trembling in rage, frustration, and repulsion. “Do I disgust you that much?”

“Does it matter? I don’t care… Do whatever you want. Nobody could stop you even if they wanted to…” I growled, and left.

It was Yuki’s decision to be his lover, even if he’d bribed her into it. She loved him. I knew she did, and I knew that he loved her back. I understood it all too well. It was just the fact that he was who he was—manipulative, cruel, and selfish—that the thought of my innocent little sister belonging to him was so disgusting that it almost made me sick… And yet I hated myself for being selfish enough not to say or do anything about it. If I did, I wouldn’t get my end of the deal: Kaname and Yuki out of my hair and Zero all to myself.

I sighed and walked to my dorm to turn in early and actually try to get some sleep, not looking forward to what the next day would bring.


	24. Chapter 24

The sun shined through my window just as I’d gotten to sleep and I sighed, rolling over and staring out at the cloud-scattered blue sky. After I’d gotten dressed, I ran into Yuki and Yori on their way to breakfast and Yuki looked just as exhausted as I felt.

“Morning, Yua,” she smiled, so I faintly smiled back and walked toward the door. “You’re not going to eat breakfast?”

“I’m not hungry, but thanks. I’ll see you later,” I waved.

When I walked outside, Zero was standing and waiting at the bottom of the stairs. He looked to see who had come out and I faintly smiled at him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I couldn’t sleep…”

I leaned against his shoulder with my eyes closed and he wrapped his arm around my waist, supporting my weight, and we stood there for a while like that as we waited for Yuki.

“Did you break your stitches yesterday?”

“I think so…” I sighed.

“Go to the infirmary later and have the nurse fix them for you.”

I nodded and when Yuki and Yori finally came out, they were surprised to see that Zero was awake on time and Yuki was uncomfortable. Zero and I felt the presences of vampires and looked to see who it was and what they wanted. Rima, Aido, Kain, and another girl I didn’t know were there, standing in front of us. The day class instantly erupted into whispered conversations.

“By the order of President Kuran, we will stay by your side and watch over you, Yuki-sama,” Kain announced as he and the others bowed to Yuki.

“Figures,” I muttered with a sigh.

“W-What?!” Yuki yelled in shock.

“Did you do something to make them bully you, Yuki?” Yori asked, so I chuckled, still clinging to Zero.

“No!”

“Just ignore them. Let’s go,” Zero said, gently tugging me along with him.

After a bit of walking with the vampires following behind us and the day class whispering and wanting to know what was going on, Yuki turned to them in embarrassment.

“Excuse me, but… I don’t know what Kaname told you, but please be considerate!” she demanded.

“Shut up, Yuki Cross,” Aido growled back.

“-sama,” Rima added.

“Our lord pureblood Kaname-sama deemed you special. So, we must treat you in the proper manner. You’re just a human girl. You wouldn’t understand, but this involves our pride as aristocrats.”

In class, Yuki kept staring at the door where Aido was waiting outside to continue his guard duties. She looked worried and kept sighing, so I huffed after about the fifth time she did.

“Bear with it. This is what it means to be with him… You made up your mind to face him for real,” Zero whispered, so she nodded. “Do you remember what I told you before? If he asks you for that, I will…”

“Don’t listen to him, Yuki. Everything is going to be fine,” I interrupted, cutting Zero off with a tired smile.

Shortly after, class ended and as everyone was getting up to leave, Aido walked in and told Zero, Yuki and me to follow him. Kaname had asked for us. He turned and started walking away and Zero and I sighed as we were dragged along. It was already all so annoying and it was only the first day that Yuki was officially Kaname’s lover.

“Yuki Cross, you lost your memories of the past,” Aido said, and I wasn’t sure if he was stating the fact or asking a question.

“Yes, I have. What’s your point?” Yuki retorted.

“I’ve looked into the matter—”

“Ah! Aido, you’re a nice guy, aren’t you?! I didn’t even ask you to.”

“You’ve got it wrong! I’m talking about Kaname-sama’s family, not you!” he yelled back. “You know that Kaname-sama’s parents passed away. I investigated their deaths. I looked and looked and even when I reached any sort of clue… everything had been burned or deleted. There was a cover-up… Just like what happened with your memories.

“The reason Kaname-sama has deigned to treat a girl like you as his ‘lover’… You know, right? Your new status forces us to protect you. Kaname-sama knows that something is going to happen to you… I’ll wait here. Don’t you dare be rude to him.”

We’d gotten to the garden and saw that Kaname had set up an elaborate picnic for Yuki and himself. There were oversized cushions and snacks everywhere and Kaname was sitting under the tree reading a book. When he heard us, he set his book down and offered his hand out to Yuki with his lonely smile.

“Yuki, we can finally have some quiet time together. Come here,” he beckoned and Yuki hesitated, blushing. “There’s nothing to hold us back now. Come.”

Zero leaned against the wall, so I took the spot next to him with a sigh. He wrapped his arm around my waist, supporting me again, so I leaned into him.

“Standing so far away… You still don’t understand,” Kaname sighed when Yuki still wouldn’t take his hand or sit with him.

“You didn’t have to come out during the day…” Yuki blushed, finally sitting on the cushion next to him, though she still didn’t make eye contact.

“I’m fine… Ah… I see. You’re taking things too seriously. I won’t ask for too many things at once. I just wanted to have lunch with you, Yuki. It’s been a while.”

“Now look here, Kaname!” she flared up.

“What is it? You don’t like the cafeteria lunch box?”

“You promised to tell me about my past…”

“… Not now. You look so scary right now that I don’t want to tell you.”

“I knew you’d dodge the subject again. Then I’ll make up my own story.”

“Kiryuu, you seem to have nothing to do… You can hear them, right? The day class students have found out about this place. Will you shoo them away before they raise a fuss?” Kaname asked, catching my attention, so I opened my eyes to glare at him.

I supported my own weight and lazed away in Zero’s place to scare the day class off so I could let off some steam. It was their fault that Kaname had something to be mean to Zero about and they were always so loud and annoying. When they saw me walk out with a forced smile on my face, they got louder, wanting to know everything and to get past me.

“All of you, please leave and go back to your classes,” I smiled kindly, though really I wanted to scream.

“That’s not fair! I want to know what’s going on! Why does the Disciplinary Committee always get special treatment?!”

“Kaname has sent me to shoo you all away, so I’m going to ask you nicely again to please go back to your classes,” I said a little less kindly. “I’m really not in the mood to be dealing with you all like this today.”

“Come on, let us through! We wanna see Kaname-senpai and Aido-senpai!”

“Look, I’m tired, I’m sore, I’m stressed out, and all of your voices are pissing me off, so get lost! If it was any of your business to know what was going on, you would have been invited to join us. So, since you haven’t and what’s happening behind me is none of your concern, GO BACK TO YOUR CLASSES, NOW!” I hollered, finally fed up.

Everyone shut up and started slowly backing off, finally getting the picture that nobody wanted them there. I took a deep breath and let it all out in a sigh before I went back to the garden. Just as I’d gotten back, Yuki collapsed and I sighed in envy, wishing I could do the same.

“Kiryuu, will you bring Yuki to the infirmary for me? I need to talk to Yua,” Kaname asked, and Zero looked at me, worried.

I shrugged and faintly smiled at him, so he gave my hand a squeeze before taking Yuki away and leaving me alone with Kaname.

“Yua, you look exhausted.”

“I feel worse…” I sighed, plopping onto a cushion in a very immature and unladylike manner, leaning my head against the tree behind me with my eyes closed.

“And Yuki says you haven’t eaten all day, either.”

“I’ve been too tired. I couldn’t sleep last night... I was busy hating you and worrying about Yuki.”

“I’ve noticed that you’re not very pleasant when you’re tired. I should have remembered that from when you were younger. It wouldn’t have been such a surprise.”

“Well, now you know and can lock it in your brain… Why am I still here? If you don’t get to the point soon, I’ll fall asleep.”

“I’m worried about you. Your health seems to have been deteriorating since your mission during holiday break.”

“And? What does that have to do with anything?”

“I need you at your best. How else are you going to hold up your end of the bargain?”

Again, I opened my eyes enough to glare at him. “So what are you saying, exactly?”

“You will give Yuki to me willingly if I can make her happy, and you will go along with whatever I have planned for you without question or complaint. Did I remember that correctly?”

“Yeah… why?” I asked, suspicious.

“Would you go along with something I asked, even if that something was monstrous?”

“Are you asking me because I have a choice or are you asking to forewarn me that you’ll be making me do something monstrous?”

He didn’t respond but a grin turned the corner of his mouth up. I instantly wanted to say no to whatever it was that he was getting at.

“The blood of Kuran acts as a medicine for many things. Just like it slowed Kiryuu’s transformation into a level E, it can heal your wounds.”

“That’s disgusting,” I scoffed with a bitter chuckle. “And if I’d rather heal like a normal person?”

“Then you will fail to do your duty as Yuki’s older sister to protect her and be there for her when she really needs you,” he explained.

“God… so Aido was right…” A wry smile played across my face as I thought about everything that Kaname was saying. “You are a sick, manipulative, selfish being, Kaname… Fine… I’ll do it… But I don’t want to remember it afterward. I hate myself enough as it is.”

I was just as sick and selfish as he was and I knew it. I couldn’t believe myself. I really was willing to do anything to get what I wanted.

“I understand…” Kaname said, cutting a slit across his wrist with his finger nail and holding it up to me.

I’d never been squeamish around blood. It had never bothered me or grossed me out, but seeing and smelling Kaname’s blood made me queasy. Just thinking about it being near my mouth, let alone swallowing it made me sick with absolute repulsion toward myself for even considering going through with it. Not eating anything probably wasn’t helping me any, either. I pushed his arm away and turned my head, desperate for fresh air so I wouldn’t throw up whatever little bit of anything that was in my stomach. When I regained my composure and calmed down, I sighed and turned my head back toward him.

“Are you ready?” he asked, his nail digging into his flesh again.

I took a deep breath and nodded. He broke the skin again and before I could smell or see the blood or think about what I was doing again, I put my lips around the cut and drank. It was warm, thick, and sweetly metallic tasting and I swallowed the bile that was rising in my throat with a gulp of it. Thankfully Kaname remained silent while my mind raced, torturing me with the understanding of what I was doing and why. It was monstrous and extremely self-centered of me, but I was doing it anyway because I couldn’t leave Zero alone. I couldn’t stop loving and wanting him so much that I was willing to taint and dirty him with my presence just so he could be mine, and mine alone.

I cried shamelessly. My self-hatred sparked the waterworks and I begged for Kaname to end the nightmarish scene that I was partaking in. I wanted to go on like it had never happened and in my mind, I was begging him to be merciful and make it so. I was silently begging him to make me forget that it had ever happened. I hoped my tears would be his cue to end it all, and I was grateful when everything went black.


	25. Chapter 25

I woke up with a start ad looked around the room. Zero had just walked in and I sighed, falling back on my pillow. I stared up at the ceiling for a moment while Zero sat next to me on the edge of the bed, looking at me in concern.

“Are you alright?” he asked but I was silent for a moment, still staring at the ceiling before I looked at him with a smile.

“Yeah… it was just a bad dream.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m fine… but what am I doing in the infirmary?”

“I was hoping you could tell me.”

“All I remember was talking to Kaname for a while but I think I fell asleep mid-conversation. I’m not exactly sure. I might have passed out from not eating, too.”

He stared at me for a moment before he sighed. “You should take better care of yourself.”

I smiled, sat up, and kissed him. “Isn’t that what you’re here to help me with? … I’m gonna check on Yuki and I’ll meet you in the kitchen so we can eat something, ‘kay?”

“I guess…”

I smiled and got up to walk out the door. When I got to the headmaster’s guest room where Yuki was staying so the headmaster could keep an eye on her, I knocked before letting myself in.

“Yuki-chan, are you awake? Does your head still hurt?” I asked and before I could ask if she was hungry, she tackled me.

Her hands were around my throat and she had an expression of fear and anger on her face and she was panting and trembling. I sighed and closed my eyes and after a second she snapped out of whatever she was thinking or hallucinating.

“Yua?”

“Are you alright?” I inquired.

“Are you? …Why aren’t you fighting back?”

I shrugged, lifting up the cast still on my arm. “And because I deserve whatever you want to do to me. I’ve failed you as a big sister for four years now.”

“You’ve got it wrong… I’ve been using you, Yua. You’ve been forced to play along with my selfishness. Being someone close to you—someone you could see as family… I was only doing those things for myself… If I could pretend that was indispensable to you, I felt it wouldn’t matter if I had a past… Yes. I did it all for me… Otherwise I wouldn’t have said something I shouldn’t… Forgive me…” she smiled with shame and tears in her eyes. “Did I hurt you? Is your arm okay?”

“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt at all… Yuki-chan, you’re not making any sense. It sounds as if you’re desperately trying to tell me that you need me… But you’re wrong. The one you need is Kaname. It’s always been that way. Something is wrong with you,” I replied, sitting up.

She stared at me in shock for a moment in silence as I examined my cast-encased arm. It didn’t hurt at all anymore, and I didn’t feel the tugging of my stitches on my hand or leg anymore, either. I shrugged it off, telling myself that I’d go to the nurse in the morning to have them removed. I looked at Yuki again and repeated my earlier asked question.

“Yes. I am. Sorry. I’m sorry for doing this to you, Yua,” she replied, getting completely off of me. “I’ve been hallucinating and it makes me act weird. I wasn’t myself. Yua, I’m really sorry for what I did, but I’m alright now, so…”

She was kicking me out of the room with an apologetic smile plastered on her face. When I was outside the door and she’d closed it, I heard her slump down against it and start sobbing. I sighed, leaning against my side of the door, aching for her. About five minutes later, Zero was walking down the hall toward me and I felt a cold draft coming from under the door and the presence of a vampire behind it.

“Yua, what’s going on?” Zero asked, but I ignored him and opened the door to see Kaname holding an unconscious Yuki and preparing to leave through the window. I stared at him apathetically, knowing in my gut what was going to happen next and Zero was right at my side. He was the one to break the silent tension.

“Kaname, what do you intend to do with her?” he glared.

“You will not betray her,” Kaname glared back before jumping.

Zero growled and tore down the hallway at full speed to try to find where Kaname had taken Yuki. I followed a second after and caught up to him. We passed the headmaster who was begging us to stop and listen to him and rushed past Ichiru who was shocked to see his brother glare at him, not even pausing to acknowledge his presence. I chased after him and all of a sudden, he stopped just outside the door.

“What is it?” I panted.

“I smell blood… It’s Yuki’s,” he replied, looking to the roof of the main academic building, and we took off again without a word.

 _‘What’s going on? Is Yuki hurt? Please don’t let her be hurt. Please don’t let anything be wrong. Please don’t let it be too late to protect her,’_ I panicked, thinking that an attack had started already.

When we got to the very top of the building we looked down at Kaname and Yuki and she was holding his face with wide almost awestruck eyes. I could feel it, so I knew Zero could feel it, too. He pointed _Bloody Rose_ straight at Kaname’s head as he spoke.

“I know that smell. It’s Yuki’s blood… However…” Zero started, his temper rapidly rising. “NOW I SENSE TWO VAMPIRES! KURAN! YOU’VE TURNED YUKI—!”

“Stop it, Zero!” Yuki yelled, standing between him and Kaname and blocking Zero a clear shot at him. “This man… he’s… my older brother! …I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” she cried.

My heart sank. He was her brother? She was a pureblood?! All along?! Then what had I been to her? Had she really been using me for ten years for her own gains like she’d said she was just earlier that night? What had she really been to me those ten years? She was never human. She’d always been a pureblood. She’d always been one of those disgusting creatures that destroyed both Zero’s life and my own. She’d been my adorable little human sister for ten years… but it had all been a lie.

“I’m sorry, Yua… nee-chan…” she cried as she passed out into Kaname’s arms, and my eyes widened in both shock and rage as I clenched my teeth and fists.

“You’re… siblings…” Zero muttered in disbelief.

“If I truly was born her older brother, I’d have been much happier. The look on both your faces says that you don’t want to believe it.”

“Yuki said you were he older brother… but you say you aren’t. What do you mean?”

“Yuki is indeed a pureblood daughter of Kuran. Even a pathetic vampire like you should be able to sense that… But then you’re also something that hunts us… What will you do?” Kaname asked, walking off with Yuki in his arms.

Zero and I stood there, dumbfounded for a long time. I was angry and betrayed and lonely. I’d finally felt like I’d had a home and a family to come back to—a place where I belonged—and people to protect and love as if they were my own flesh and blood… but it had all been a lie from the start. I had been protecting a complete and total stranger—a vampire! And even though she had always been a stranger, she still had the gall to call me her sister!

My body was trembling from the stress and emotional strain until my knees collapsed from under me and my frustrated sobs and tears broke loose. I hugged myself, clenching the sleeves of my nightgown and cried until my tears ran dry and my body felt heavy and numb.


	26. Chapter 26

“It’s all a lie… I’ve been protecting a vampire… one of them for ten years!” I yelled, standing up in a huff.

I wanted to shoot something or do something violent, just to vent. Zero sighed and held me from behind, sensing how pissed off I was. He wasn’t going to let me do anything reckless no matter how much I wanted to.

“Come on. This isn’t the place to vent. You’ll draw attention,” he explained. “I’m just as shocked and mad about it as you are but we can’t stay out here.”

I knew he was right. I slumped my shoulders suddenly feeling deflated again as he led me away. He took me to his dorm and when he closed the door and sat me down on the bed, the anger, hatred, betrayal, and loneliness flooded out with tears and howls of rage and frustration as I buried my face into Zero’s chest. He rubbed my back but there was no warmth in the gesture since he was lost to his own thoughts and emotions.

What seemed like an eternity later when I’d spent all my energy again and felt numb and heavy, Zero and I tensed up and glared at the door, sensing the presence of a pureblood on the other side. Zero raised _Bloody Rose_ and readied to fire, but even knowing that it was Yuki on the other side, I didn’t stop him.

“Coming here to talk… You think it will make any difference? Discussing things like transforming humans into vampires… You already know that I won’t allow it… ever… but of course you transformed from a vampire into a human. On the other side of this door, I sense an arrogant pureblood who toys with people,” Zero glared, holding me tighter.

“Yes, Zero… I’m glad you understand. The Yuki you knew is gone… because the vampire Yuki devoured her,” Yuki replied and I could hear her running off.

Something in me snapped and it took every thread of my strength not to chase her down and kill her with my own two hands. The vampires had taken something important away from me again and I was never getting it back. They’d taken my parents and now they’d taken my little sister. She was one of them and when she’d said that the vampire Yuki had devoured my Yuki she said it with so much confidence, finality, and indifference that it rekindled my hatred of vampires.

When I saw Yuki again she wouldn’t be my beloved little sister. She would be my enemy. I made a vow to myself that I would go through with Kaname’s scheme since I didn’t see any way around or out of it and so he and Yuki could leave. I also vowed that I would embrace my hunter blood and track them down one day. Vampires took lives without a second or remorseful thought, so I made a vow to myself that I would take theirs the same way. I would never again try to be a pacifist. I’d made up my mind.

I’d gotten up and stood next to the window, staring out at nothing. The sun had come up and Zero flinched at the light, closing the curtains.

“Sorry…” I mumbled.

“Hey, Zero. I come to see you after a long while and what do I find? You’ve leisurely shut yourself up in your room again? You stupid disciple,” came Toga Yagari’s voice from the doorway so I looked at him. “Ah. And the little girl is here, too. Shouldn’t you be in your own dorm room?”

“I guess I got lost,” I snapped.

“Whatever. It’s a beautiful morning. It’s hard to believe that it was snowing last night. At least open the curtains.”

“It’s nothing to do with you. The light affects me more now…” Zero replied.

“Yua and Kiryuu aren’t in the mood to be teased. Many things have happened… Please understand…” Headmaster explained from behind Yagari.

“Headmaster, you knew everything?” Zero demanded and the headmaster paused, looking apologetic as he nodded.

Zero and I glared pointedly at him and he hid further behind Yagari.

“K-Kiryuu, Yua, don’t get angry! You’re scary! Seriously! There are some things you just can’t talk about. Both of you should know that well,” Headmaster defended.

“So, Zero… Whose blood did you drink? There’s an awfully ominous presence mixed in with yours,” Yagari inquired.

“What did you come here for, Master? To give me a lecture?” Zero asked his own question in reply.

“Two reasons, actually. Yua, you have another order from the president. He wants to see you soon. I hear he wants to officially train you in under Terada. “

“I’m not going,” I scoffed. “I’m done with the Society. If I’m going to train under anyone, I’d rather it be you and not because the president wants or orders it.”

“Yua, you can’t turn down an order from the president,” Headmaster fretted.

“Watch me.”

“Secondly, just like Shizuka Hio, there’s another pureblood who’s gone missing. During my pursuit I planned to stop by here, but en route I received another order from the Society; ‘Detain Zero, one of the Kiryuu family twins,’ it read,” Yagari continued.

I glared at him and slid between him and Zero. When Zero chuckled once and wrapped his arms around me, I blushed and looked up at him, confused.

“It’s fine, Yua. You may be a rebel, but don’t make Master be one, too,” Zero said.

“But—”

He handed _Bloody Rose_ to Yagari and went with him and the headmaster with me following slowly behind them. Zero sat against the wall in the cell that they’d brought him to with his head bent and Yagari closed and locked the gate while I watched from farther back.

“You could’ve resisted a little. You’re too reasonable,” Yagari said, but Zero didn’t even acknowledge that he’d said something. “So now you’re ignoring me. Well all right. I’ll punish you for real later. Listen, sit still until we figure out what’s going on. This is for your sake. I’ll leave your gun here.”

Yagari dropped the gun just inside the cell door and he and the headmaster left again. It was silent for a while as I stood, staring at Zero, unsure of what to say or do. I sighed and gripped onto the bars, closing my eyes and pressing my forehead to the cold metal.

“Zero, I’m begging you… if there’s anything you can do about it—anything at all… please… please don’t make me keep my promise… I’ll never be able to live without you, no matter what you are,” I attempted to smile, but it was faint and strained.

I left to go to the nurse to have my cast and stitches removed and when she’d finished, I went to my room to attempt to get some very much needed rest.


	27. Chapter 27

“Classes have been cancelled for today. Please be ready to leave at any time. I repeat, classes have been cancelled. Please be ready to leave at any time.”

I’d just gotten to sleep when the class president of the day class had made the announcement and I groaned and got up. It wasn’t until I’d gotten dressed that I got out of the early morning brain fog and understood what she’d said, getting a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. It only got worse when I felt the presence of an ominous pureblood and lesser vampires converging on the school. I made sure _Natsuhiboshi_ was on my hip and left the room to make sure the day class was safe.

I walked around the dorm, checking for any stragglers. When I didn’t find any I went to go see Zero and ended up walking past Yuki and Yori’s room. I felt the presence of a vampire and a human on the other side of the door so I burst through, seeing Yori standing in the middle of the room. She was facing the window where a vampire was perched, smiling at her. Just as I was about to pull her behind me, a spike of ice went through the vampire’s chest and he turned to dust as Yuki and Aido came in through the window.

“Yori! Are you alright?! Did he do anything to you?!” Yuki worried, almost in a panic.

I didn’t even bother to say anything to Yuki. I looked at Aido, asking if he’d take care of the rest and when he nodded, I left, not wanting to hear or see Yuki and Yori’s reunion. I had other things to take care of. I ran to see Zero and when I got there, I was glad to see that he was safe, though I still wasn’t too thrilled about him being locked up in a cell. I sighed in relief and shortly after Kaname walked in and stood in front of the cell door, completely ignoring me.

“I’m surprised… For a moment I thought you were crying,” he said.

“I don’t want to see you. Just leave, Kuran,” Zero snapped.

“Ah. Yes… You must be strong—otherwise I’ll be in trouble…”

“Why would you be in trouble?”

“It’s been a little over four years and the knight I’ve carefully nurtured is now able to devour the king. You’re the knight. You’re going to destroy Rido, the monster that just arose from his coffin,” Kaname explained matter-of-factly.

“Are you crazy? Do it yourself!”

“Do you want to pretend you haven’t noticed? What you have taken inside yourself has begun to pulsate. You first unconsciously stole the powers of your twin and were born into your family with the power of one and a half vampire hunters. If you had devoured your twin entirely, things would’ve been easier..”

“Stop,” Zero growled.

“Then Shizuka made you into a vampire. You devoured the blood of Yuki and Yua who were watching over you tenderly.”

“Shut up!”

“Because she has awakened, Yuki’s blood is now suffusing you with the powers of Kuran. And I, too, gave you my blood which contains Shizuka’s blood and powers. I have let the forbidden acts pass. Everything was done for this day. Soon you’ll become the strongest vampire hunter of all. Only you can free me from Rido’s spell,” Kaname continued.

“Do you think I’d lift a finger to save you?”

“You will not betray Yuki. I’ll take Yuki and leave this academy… but as long as Rido exists he’ll keep coming to devour her…”

Zero and I both twitched at the thought and Kaname glanced at me. I felt that there was more that he wanted to say to me but I knew he wouldn’t say it in front of Zero. When he left, I stared at Zero for a moment, knowing that he was lost to his thoughts before I followed after Kaname. When I caught up to him just outside, I’d already blurted the question that had been on my mind.

“Where does that leave me? How do I fit into your crazy elaborate scheme?” I panted.

“You will keep Yuki occupied while Zero takes out Rido,” he said, nonchalant.

“If she doesn’t come back, don’t hold it against me. It’s your fault, after all, for sending a hunter to protect her prey.”

“You will not betray her… She was your only family for a time. Could you really kill someone you cherished as your own flesh and blood?”

“She’s not my sister… not anymore… She is my enemy,” I spat in reply, turned on my heels and left.

He’d struck a nerve and he knew it. I still loved her. She’d been my sister for ten years. You can’t throw ten years of a close bond away in a day. It just doesn’t work like that. That’s why when everything was done and over with Rido, I’d kill her. It’s bad enough to lose your family. It’s worse to have them turn into the very thing you lost your family to from the beginning—the very thing you hated more than anything else. I’d have been happier if she’d died. Then my memories of her couldn’t have been tainted by what she had become.

I hated her so much. Not because it was her fault of that she’d had a choice in the matter. I hated her because of what she was—what she’d always been. I would kill her so I could remember her as my adorable little human sister, and I cried as I walked to find her. We could never go back to being sisters like that again. She’d changed, and not just into a vampire. She’d embraced it so quickly and willingly. She seemed proud of what she’d become, and I could never forgive her for it. Our sisterhood had never been real, not even from the start.

When I found her again, she was still in her room with Aido and Yori, and Kaname was holding her to him, shielding her from the brightness of the rising sun.

“I’ll protect you, Yuki, so come with me. There is someplace we must go,” Kaname cooed.

“Kaname… I sense those eyes on me just like ten years ago. Terrifying vampires are gathering here. I can’t leave Yori and the other. I can’t leave the academy. Can you, Kaname? This is your—!” Yuki pleaded, slightly pulling away, but Kaname pulled her back to his chest.

His eyes had gone from looking lonely to a combination of lonely, angry, and pleading as he held her, cutting her off. “You cannot escape my arms… You’re like a baby who’s just been born. You’re defenseless. What can you do here? …Aido, take Yuki’s friend to a safe place.”

Aido nodded and turned to Yori, gently grabbing her arm and ushering her out. I followed them, not wanting to see or hear Kaname and Yuki anymore. It was pissing me off and making me nauseous. I sat outside the door while Aido took Yori away and Kaname and Yuki had their moment. I wondered where Zero was, what was happening with him, and how he was doing and what was on his mind.

When Kaname walked out the door and passed by me, he gave me a look as if he trusted me and I was taken aback by it. It was completely unexpected but I brushed it off and walked into the room to fetch Yuki. She’d just finished changing and had picked up _Artemis_. It turned into a giant scythe, surprising both of us, but Yuki brushed it off as if it was nothing, putting her game face on.

“Yua, why are you here?” she asked.

“To help you kill Rido. The faster he’s gone, the faster you and Kaname can leave,” I replied, though it was only partially true.

She nodded and shortly after, we heard an explosion, so we took off running toward it. When we got there, Aido was being manipulated by a man with long, black hair who I assumed was Rido. He had an ominous aura, so it had to be him. Aido was about to walk straight to Rido through the gaping hole in the roof when Yuki tackled him out of the air, and I covered for her.

“Aido, snap out of it! You mustn’t keep going off on your own!” Yuki yelled, breaking his trance.

“You—Hey!” Aido hollered in outrage toward Rido.

“I’ve wanted to devour you to make your powers mine. I’m glad you came to me. I’ve been waiting for you… The youngest of this world, full of fresh powers, the pureblood princess of Kuran,” Rido smirked maliciously.

“How do you do? You’re my uncle Rido?” Yuki asked and his smirk turned to a glare. “You’ve been watching me from afar… as if you want to eat me.”

“You’re like her… like Juri,” he said in response from only inches from her face, ignoring her questions. He’d gotten there in an instant and neither Yuki nor I had had the time to react.

“Don’t touch me/her!” Yuki and I yelled in unison, having our weapons trained on him, and Yuki’s rage or some kind of power that she had cut his cheek.

“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll love you in place of Juri…” Rido smiled.

“Yuki Cross!” Aido hollered, pulling her away while I took her place in front of Rido, _Natsuhiboshi_ still trained to his throat and a murderous glare plastered on my face. “Fool! Don’t let him manipulate you!”

“I won’t let him do that!” she barked back.

“Ah… I remember you. You’re the last Akanetsuki, the one looking after the Kiryuu boy… Where is he, anyway? Weren’t you like a little duckling always following his every step?” Rido inquired.

“He’s a little tied up at the moment, so you’ll have to deal with me, unfortunately,” I snapped.

“ … No matter. He’ll show. You, on the other hand, are not important,” Rido sighed, bored as he swatted me away like a fly, shattering my arm again.

I screamed out in anguish as I crashed onto the roof, clutching my arm and curling into the fetal position, biting my lip until it bled to try to keep myself conscious and from screaming more.

“Yua!” Yuki and Aido called in worry.

“Yuki, was it? ‘Tender princess?’ …So that’s the name Haruka and Juri gave you… Yuki, you naughty girl, swinging a dangerous weapon like that…” Rido said, wiping his cheek with his thumb and licking the blood from it. “Yes… It’s a very dangerous weapon. I know it well. I borrowed the powers of a similar weapon when I took Haruka’s life.”

Aido looked surprised and Yuki gripped tighter onto _Artemis_ out of rage and torment.

“Cross—” Aido started, but Yuki cut him off.

“Stay back, Aido! He’s my opponent. I stayed behind for this…”

I’d been close to fainting from the pain in my arm when I felt a strong, confusing vampyric presence approaching and knew of only one person who could have such an aura. I grinned, mustering all of my strength to grab _Natsuhiboshi_ and move out of his way and over to Yuki’s side. Yuki and Rido must’ve felt it, too, because they both looked in the direction of the nearing aura. Just as Yuki had pushed Aido away (and off of the roof, unknowingly), thorned vines hit Rido with blunt force , and I smiled upon seeing Zero walking across the top of them looking like a super hero or a god. I had to remind myself that we were in the middle of a life or death situation so I couldn’t ogle at him.

Yuki had been spared by mere inches and jumped back, watching Zero in complete astonishment s he walked forward calmly, stopping in front of her. The vines were coming from his exposed chest and encircling his right arm. He glanced at Yuki with indifference before looking past her to meet my eye. I nodded in silent understanding before standing in front of Yuki with _Natsuhiboshi_ in my left hand.

“Yuki, stay back. There’s nothing else you can do,” I stated with finality.

“I’m not going anywhere, Yua,” she replied just as sternly.

“Hey… How long do you intend to lie there?” Zero asked Rido’s general direction as he lifted his arm, _Bloody Rose_ becoming exposed from under the thorny vines. It was connected to the vines and Zero’s arm as if they’d become fused together and the gun and vines were extensions of Zero’s arm. “Get up, vampire!”

A roofing tile behind him clinked out of place and Rido came up through the roof, so Yuki darted behind Zero and slashed at Rido with _Artemis_.

“What are you doing?” Zero asked. “You’re an enemy.”

“I made up my mind a long time ago, Zero. I’ll always be on your side, even if we’re enemies,” she replied.

I growled and gripped onto the hilt of _Natsuhiboshi_ tighter. She was still acting high and mighty like she was the good guy still and like she still had the right to say anything to us at all despite everything that had happened. I smothered my bitterness again, reminding myself that this wasn’t the time to be fighting against anyone who was going to help us kill that bastard, Rido.

Rido attempted to attack Yuki from behind, but Yuki turned to defend herself. I dropped _Natsuhiboshi_ and tackled her out of the way, ignoring the pain in my arm again. Just as we’d gotten out of range, the vines whizzed past us and tore Rido to shreds.

“Monster, you’re my prey. You’re being hunted so struggle to survive like prey should,” Zero said in that icy calm voice.

It sent a chill down my spine and brought a lusty smirk to my lips. I couldn’t help it. Zero was so sexy when he was serious and focused on the job at hand. Rido’s form bubbled, swirled, and gurgled into shape in front of Zero, but he stood his ground, unflinchingly.

“Why am I your prey? Ah… because I killed your other half…” Rido said, and I gasped, glancing at Zero to see how he’d react. He didn’t. His expression remained steely, but his eyes narrowed slightly into a deeper glare.

“But… you devoured it… and took what you lacked, right? Yuki, listen to me. This vampire is as evil as I am. He devoured his own brother,” Rido continued.

Yuki’s expression turned to one of horrified shock. I was shocked, too, but I wasn’t horrified. I’d kind of felt it in Zero’s presence but I felt horrible for him. I knew he wouldn’t have done it if he hadn’t had to, but he’d had to for some reason and that fact in and of itself was more heartbreaking to me than Ichiru’s death, alone. It was probably another sick, twisted part of Kaname’s plan to kill Rido. It was another tally of reasons for me to add to my list of reasons why I hated him so much.

“But you are mistaken, former hunter. The truth is… you… are my prey,” Rido continued, pointing at Zero who remained unyielding.

Yuki ran behind Rido while he was distracted with a look on her face that said that she was ready to end it as she swung _Artemis_ to decapitate him. I ran forward and put all of my strength into stopping the blade’s momentum, thus stopping the blade by using _Natsuhiboshi’s_ blade as the barrier and my useless arm as the reinforcement. More damage to it wouldn’t be a big deal. An intense bruise was the least of my problems.

“Yuki, I told you to stay back!” I snapped, again, ignoring the excruciating pain.

“Why?! Yua!! I—He’s everything that is evil!!” she screamed in outrage, and the same power that had cut Rido earlier cut me, as well.

“When you’re angry, you’re really like the deceased Juri,” Rido smirked.

“You’re in the way,” Zero said as the vines pushed Yuki away and practically off the roof.

“You’re being rough with my little bird… Now behave and let me devour you so you can become part of my powers. I waited to devour you until you were ripe. Shizuka sowed the seeds. Kaname nurtured you. And I shall reap the harvest. We purebloods ravage our prey until nothing is left…”

“Yeah… That’s why I’m going to kill every one of you monsters.”

I jumped from behind Rido and ran to Zero’s side to avoid being in his way as his assault on Rido began. The half of the building that Rido was on collapsed and Rido reformed behind Yuki, whispering in her ear. She looked scared and stabbed him though with _Artemis_ just barely missing herself. Zero aimed _Bloody Rose_ at Rido’s head and fired. I couldn’t see what happened to him, but I did feel the ominous presence that he carried vanish. I sighed in relief. It was over. Rido was gone and his death left the hunters facing the pureblood princess.

“Zero… are you alright?” Yuki asked, trying to step forward.

Zero aimed the gun at her without the slightest hesitation, the indifferent look still on his face. “Don’t come any closer. Of course I’m not alright. I’m sick… of everything… That’s why I want to end it all. If I destroy all the purebloods, my acts will be forgiven. It’s not your fault, Yuki…” he said, so she turned to me pleadingly, a tear rolling down her cheek.

“Yua?”

“You lied to me…” I croaked, shaking my head with tears rolling down my own face. “I’d have been so much happier if you really had been human when Kaname bit you. I could hate him for turning you into a bloodsucker and still see you as my little sister… but you never were… Zero’s right. It’s not your fault… It’s my own fault for loving you like family…”

Yuki went silent and looked down. When she looked back up there was nothing but sad determination in her eyes as she lifted _Artemis_ to meet Zero’s _Bloody Rose._

“I’m sorry… but I cannot die yet…”


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter!! I’m apologizing now because I wrote this story when there were only 10 manga so there are lots of loose ends and questions that don’t get answered. I never got around to adding more to it because frankly, I never finished the manga series. I’m sorry, but you’re gonna have to deal with it. Life happens and mine has grown exponentially busier since I originally wrote this story. It’s been a long journey, and I thank all of you for being with me through every last second of it. I hope to see some of you in the future when my next stories are out!

Zero and Yuki stared at each other for a long time and I could see the wheels in Zero’s head turning. His mind was racing and Yuki stared back at the two of us with defiance.

“Why don’t you make your move?” Zero asked, finally looking away from Yuki, still keeping _Bloody Rose_ trained on her. “Here, right now… You could just kill me!”

My heart sank hearing him say that. After everything we’d been through he still wanted to die? Was my love for him not enough? Didn’t he love me enough to find at least a little reason to live in me?” I was snapped out of my thoughts when I saw _Bloody Rose’s_ thorns attack something just out of my peripheral vision to my left. When I looked to see Kaname, my instant reaction was a glare.

“This is the way you greet me?” Kaname scoffed.

“I’ve made up my mind to exterminate all purebloods. Kuran, you’re next,” was Zero’s reply.

“I thank you for severing the chain that was binding me. But I cannot allow someone like you to exist now… because you pointed that gun at her!”

The thorny vines wrapped tighter around Kaname, severing his right hand. I stood my ground next to Zero despite the danger of Kaname’s attack and the cuts I was getting from it. Yuki watched in shock and horror seeing Kaname’s missing hand and I wanted to smack her for her lack of action toward anything. She was like a naïve onlooker of a tragedy, unsure of what to do with herself but too stupid to realize that she was in the way or had the potential to do something worthwhile. I, on the other hand, knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be—by Zero’s side until the end.

“… even if you didn’t intend to kill her…” Kaname finished, gripping the vines with his hand of blood. “ _Bloody Rose,_ now that you’re in this form, you can recognize my voice and the taste of my blood… Will you free me from your bramble? I have someone I want to protect.”

Zero’s eyes widened and the pointed vines quivered and slowly released Kaname, retreating back to Zero’s arm.

“What… did you do?” Zero panted, glaring at Kaname who smirked as his blood hand mutated into giant, razor sharp claws.

“Thank you, _Bloody Rose._ ”

“ _Bloody Rose_ , don’t forget who your enemy is!”

I’d had enough and after finally hearing movement from Yuki, I assumed that she had as well. I jumped in front of Zero, facing Kaname with _Natsuhiboshi_ drawn and a murderous glare on my face, ready to fight to the death even with my dominant arm being useless. Yuki jumped between Kaname and me with her arms stretched out as if to hold us apart.

“Stop, all of you!” she yelled.

“Yuki!” Kaname yelled back. “Yuki, get out of the way! I cannot forgive the man who aimed that gun t you… a weapon that can destroy you, even if it was for a mere moment. I will not forgive him… even if you hate me for five hundred or one thousand years…”

Kaname’s glared went past me and straight to Zero as if I wasn’t even there, but I still didn’t let my guard down or soften my expression. In fact, I hardened them. He had some nerve. Yuki tenderly held Kaname’s right arm where the blood from his missing hand writhed and swirled, and looked sadly into his eyes.

“Please, I don’t want to make you say something so sad,” she cooed.

“All right… take some time to say goodbye to him…” Kaname said, caressing a lock of her hair before turning to leave. “Yuki now understands… There’s only one place she belongs…”

Zero slumped to his knees and when I turned to look, I saw that _Bloody Rose_ was taking Zero’s blood from his body.

“Zero… let go of the gun,” I cooed.

When he didn’t, I realized that he couldn’t. It was fused to him because of the vines. I ignored the cuts and gashes that I was getting and pried the gun from his grip with my good arm, putting all of my strength into it. Zero jolted and yelled out in pain as the vines were ripped from his body and I gasped.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” I panicked, wiping the sweat from his face while he panted and glared past me to Yuki.

“I’m sorry. If you’re both alright, I’ll leave,” Yuki said.

“Is the Yuki I know still part of you?” I asked, not looking at her.

“Yes… but she might dissolve and disappear forever… Memories… The Yuki who regained her memories and ‘I’ are the same. The boundaries keep dissolving and I realize… I want only my big brother’s blood… It fills my head…”

“There’s one last thing that I want to ask… Now that you’ve regained your memories… do you still feel afraid?”

“No, I’m all right… even if you’re not with me,” she replied with finality, so my mouth twitched into a smile for a fraction of a second.

“So now I have nothing to worry about anymore…” I said, helping Zero up. “I can go do my job… The next time we meet, Yuki… I’ll kill you.”

“Then I’ll keep running away from you if having an enemy gives you a reason to live…”

“Don’t be stupid, Yuki,” I scoffed. “In all those years you pretended to be my sister, you still didn’t figure it out? My reason for living has always been Zero.”

Zero had regained most of his strength and was standing on his own, so I laced my good arm though his and we walked away, not looking back. I followed him to the cell that he’d been locked in earlier that day and I saw Ichiru’s body in a heap on the ground. He looked like he was sleeping, his face was so calm and peaceful. I let Zero’s arm go and watched as he picked his brother up. My heart felt like it was made of lead and it felt like there was a hot coal stuck in my throat. Tears filled my eyes for Zero’s loss and the pain he must have been feeling being the last person in his clan officially now. As Zero carried Ichiru, my thoughts were centered on how the relationship that Zero and I had, no matter how messed up it was, had been founded, based, and fueled by pain and heartbreak, and yet somehow, it worked. When we got outside, Zero paused and looked up into a window. My eyes followed and I saw Yuki watching us with sad eyes before she mouthed “good-bye” and disappeared into the darkness of the building.

I wasn’t sure what would happen next and frankly, I didn’t really care. Hopefully Yuki and Kaname would continue to run and hopefully Zero and I would stay together as hunters and maybe start a family some time down the road. Tomorrow was as much of a mystery as it always was, but as long as I was with Zero, I didn’t care what it brought. I was ready.


End file.
